A Kaiba Christmas Carol
by Director J
Summary: Tragedy looms unless Kaiba can figure out the meaning of the holidays! ch 8 Kaiba and Poinsettia are on the move, and Mokuba's in even more trouble. Not a direct parody of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens! Contest up! Violence and angst alert!
1. Kaiba

Lil' Washu: Feliz Navidad amigos! Here's my first Christmas fic. Yay!  
  
Joey: Will there be eggnog?  
  
Lil' Washu: (sigh) Yes, there will be eggnog, like I was saying...  
  
Mai: (Looks at Joey) Will there be mistletoe?  
  
Lil' Washu: Wouldn't be Christmas without it...Now as I was saying, it's mostly a  
  
Kaiba bros Holiday fic.  
  
Kaiba: Why me?  
  
Lil' Washu: Because like every other fangirl, I love seeing the tough guys go soft!  
  
The genre is humor/angst/action/adventure/supernatural/holiday/parody/fluff. Don't flame me too badly ok? Much appreciated.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Pure white snow bathed the streets of Domino City, coating everything in at least two feet of sparkling white. Still, this didn't discourage the last minute holiday shoppers. Aside from shoppers, carolers, charity donation collectors, and happy children choked the roads. Through all of this sped a dark blue limo, nearly bowling over an old lady. Inside, a certain impatient CEO gruffly urged his chauffer on.  
  
"Can't you drive any faster? I'm nearly late for an appointment already."  
  
Seto Kaiba's frigid blue eyes gave his chauffer a hard glare and then glanced into the back seat where his little brother sat leaning against the limo door and watching the activity outside. Kaiba recalled the earlier events of the day.  
  
*~*  
  
"But Seto!"  
  
"No buts Mokuba, I can't stay home today. I have entirely too much to do at Kaiba Corp. Find somebody else to play with."  
  
Mokuba looked pleadingly over the top of the desk of the Kaiba mansion office.  
  
"Please? It won't take much time...we could just hang out for a few hours here, or go look at some of the stores or something..."  
  
Kaiba did not bother look up from his laptop as he answered his brother.  
  
"I told you Mokuba, I don't have time for this! The holiday season is one of Kaiba Corps' biggest. Remember, I have a company to run. I don't have time to waste on this nonsense."  
  
Crestfallen, Mokuba let his eyes stray to the floor and mumbled, "I'm sorry Seto, I guess I forgot."  
  
The telephone rang. The elder Kaiba picked up and snapped, "Kaiba. Make it quick."  
  
The person on the other end of the line made a startled noise resembling that of a mouse's squeak. Kaiba was not amused.  
  
"Whoever you are, you have five seconds before I hang up. Now what did you call me for?"  
  
"...Hello, Kaiba? This is Yugi."  
  
"Yugi?" Kaiba's blue eyes flashed with interest. "Let me guess, you've called to ask for a duel. Is that it?"  
  
"Well, actually no. You see I'm having this Holiday Party at the game shop, and I was wondering if you and Mokuba might like to come."  
  
"Listen Yugi, I don't know what you're playing at, but neither of us have any time for..."  
  
It was then that Kaiba noticed his little brother standing sadly against the doorway of the office. Kaiba knew that those teary blue-gray eyes of his would prevent him from getting anything done if he didn't find something for Mokuba to do.  
  
"On second thought, I have no time for your holiday idiocy, but Mokuba has nothing to do today. I'll drop him off in an hour."  
  
"Sure, that sounds great Kaiba, I'll see you-hello?"  
  
At the game shop, Yugi realized that he was speaking to a dial tone. Kaiba had already hung up.  
  
***  
  
Mokuba watched the snowfall quietly. He wondered why he had even bothered to ask. He could remember how for every year his brother would work straight through the holiday season without a single break, leaving him all alone. Mokuba didn't know why he wasn't used to it by now. 'Probably because it wasn't always this way.' The boy told himself.  
  
Kaiba was unaware of his brother's troubles. 'Dropping Mokuba off at the game shop will leave me free enough to test the new dueling system, and meet with the stockholders, and finally get some work done.' Kaiba mused. He looked back at his little brother again, noticing that he hadn't moved or spoken since the beginning of the car ride. Curious, he asked, "Mokuba, are you feeling alright?"  
  
The youngster finally looked up from his solitary spot.  
  
"Nothing's wrong Seto, I'm fine."  
  
"Mokuba, you haven't talked at all since we left the mansion. If you're not feeling well, we could always go back home, although I would miss my appointments."  
  
"I'm ok Seto, really! I guess I'm just tired, that's all."  
  
Not bothering to press the matter any further, Kaiba turned away from his brother, pulled and pulled out his laptop.  
  
Around the same time, Yugi was welcoming guests into the game shop.  
  
"Hey Yug, who were you on da phone with before?" Asked a couch reclining Joey.  
  
"Just Kaiba Joey, I invited him and Mokuba to the party."  
  
"You what?" Shouted Joey in shock, causing him to spit a mouthful of eggnog on the person sitting next to him, who just happened to be Mai.  
  
"Sorry 'bout that Mai...please don't hurt me...thanks. Now as I was saying, what the heck did you invite Kaiba for?"  
  
"Well Joey, I figured that we couldn't keep Kaiba as our enemy forever, so I tried to make friends."  
  
"Yugi," replied Joey, "That's a real nice gesture and all, but are we talkin' about the same rich, snotty, stuck-up, insensitive Kaiba?"  
  
"Forget about it Joey, only Mokuba's coming anyway, Kaiba couldn't make it."  
  
Outside of the Game shop, a very flustered Ryou Bakura tried to balance an armful of gifts and knock on the game shop door at the same time.  
  
"Hello?" He asked urgently? "Let me in before I drop these!"  
  
"HELLO BAKURA!"  
  
Solomon Motou opened the door, decked out in a Santa suit complete with a beard and stocking cap, and a rather larger than average grin. Bakura could only stare.  
  
"Um, hi Mr. Motou...Nice outfit..."  
  
"Isn't it? I'm just getting in the spirit like all of you young fellers! I volunteered to be the department store Santa Claus this year. So what do you think, am I jolly enough for ya?"  
  
Bakura ignored the large sweat drop meandering its way down the back of his head and nodded.  
  
"HI BAKURA!" Yelled Joey and Tristan in unison as they tackled Bakura.  
  
"What'd ya get me? What'd ya get me? What'd ya get me?" Asked Joey excitedly.  
  
"Honestly, you two are such toddlers on Christmas Eve." said Tea. "Now get off of Bakura before you flatten him like you did at the last party. It took us forever to scrape him off the floor, remember? We had to use a spatula..."  
  
"Glad you could come Bakura," said Yugi, "Oh yeah, and Yami wants to know if you've bought him those new leather socks for Christmas."  
  
"Leather socks?"  
  
After everyone had grabbed his or her respected gift, Bakura pulled a wad of crumpled sheet music out of his jacket pocket.  
  
"Here's an idea, why don't we go caroling with this music I brought?"  
  
"That's a great idea Bakura, though I was kinda planning to do karaoke on Yugi's new machine." Said Joey.  
  
"You do karaoke?" Mai asked skeptically.  
  
"Of course Mai, I can sing like a canary!"  
  
"Well let's see how well you sing outside where there's less glass to shatter."  
  
Afraid of losing any windows, the would-be carolers assembled outside in the already foot-deep snow.  
  
"Here's an easy one," suggested Bakura while dishing out music.  
  
"Oh yeah, I remember how that one goes. Jingle balls, Jingle balls, Jingle all the WAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!"  
  
"Joey stop! Please!" Pleaded Tea, "First of all, it's Jingle Bells, not Jingle Balls! And you're way off key."  
  
"Well excuse me Ms. Mary Poppins! I just made a mistake!"  
  
"You changed it on purpose, didn't ya Joey."  
  
"Shut up Tristan."  
  
"Um, how about we all sing it this time?" Suggested Yugi quickly.  
  
"Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the -"  
  
Unfortunately everyone was stopped in mid-song when Kaiba's navy-blue limo swerved up to the curb, showering the entire crew in dirty, cold, slush. One of the doors opened and Mokuba Kaiba hopped out into the snow. Without so much as a goodbye, the limo hurried off towards Kaiba Corp.  
  
"Hello Yugi, thank you very much for inviting me." Said Mokuba mechanically. "...And sorry about the slush."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lil' Washu: Well there's the first chapter, so what do you guys think?  
  
Yugi: I liked it!  
  
Y. Bakura: When am I appearing?  
  
Joey: When do we eat?  
  
Tristan: (Looks around) Will Serenity show up?  
  
Kaiba: Where is my lawyer?  
  
Lil' Washu: Ok, so maybe the first chapter was a little slow, and short. but in the next chapter things will really pick up, I'm promising magic, angst, blah, blah blah...You'll find out why our residential blue-eyed Scrooge doesn't like the holidays so much...  
  
Kaiba: Bah humbug.  
  
Lil' Washu: ...and there's more of Cratchet, I mean, Yugi being all cute and friendly of course.  
  
Yugi: ^___^  
  
Lil' Washu: Oh yeah, they're be more of these bozos too...  
  
Y. Bakura: I feel the need to mutilate something...Is that a good thing?  
  
Joey: FEED ME!  
  
Tristan: Would it be considered tacky to buy Serenity underwear? 


	2. Hello Poinsettia

Lil' Washu: Hey, look at that, I updated! Be warned, part of this chapter is like something right out of Yu Yu Hakusho. Bonus points to the reviewer who can describe the scene!  
  
Poinsettia: And what exactly do these bonus points do?  
  
Lil' Washu: Absolutely nothing! That's the fun part.  
  
Poinsettia: Ok then...  
  
Lil' Washu: Oh yeah, this is Poinsettia, my OC for this fic. She's a little upset because of what happens in this chapter...  
  
Poinsettia: What are you people lookin' at? Read the fanfic already! NOW!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Start Chapter*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The inside of the Turtle Game Shop sparkled with tinsel and garland. A heavily decorated Christmas tree stood royally in a corner, surrounded by a mountain of brightly wrapped gifts. The entire living space of the shop smelled of cinnamon and gingerbread. Mokuba Kaiba's eyes grew wide with awe.  
  
"It's...its beautiful Yugi! Did you decorate this whole place all by yourself?"  
  
"Nah, Grandpa did most of it. He's really getting into the spirit this year."  
  
As if on cue, Mr. Motou ran by in his Santa Suit carrying a large box.  
  
"See ya later Yugi, I'm going to go put up the lights on the roof now!"  
  
"Okay Grandpa, just be careful with the wiring. Let's try not to make this a repeat of last year..."  
  
Joey grinned evilly. "If everyone's ever wondered how Yugi and Gramps got their hair like that, just watch them try to wire Christmas lights."  
  
"JOEY!"  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot about how you'd prefer not to remember that," chuckled Joey nervously, "Though it's pretty funny how the electricity spiked your hair-"  
  
"So," interrupted Yugi, "What are you and your brother going to do for the holidays Mokuba?"  
  
Mokuba admired the Christmas tree as if seeing one for the first time, then said,  
  
"Well, Seto's usually really busy around this time of year, so I don't think we're doing much..." His voice trailed off suddenly, and he sat down with the others, still gazing at the tree.  
  
'Kaiba's not spending the holidays with his little brother?' wondered Yugi, 'I know that he's not the nicest guy in the world, but I also know that he cares his for his little brother with all of his heart. Why would he leave Mokuba alone at such a special time of year?'  
  
Across town, while Downtown Domino sparkled with it's annual holiday glow, Seto Kaiba's limo still raced through the streets, already late for an important appointment. Needless to say, he was not happy.  
  
"Can't you go any faster?" He asked his chauffer icily.  
  
"No sir, sorry sir."  
  
"Then is there a shortcut you could take? I'm already late."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Where is it?"  
  
"South of Domino Park, sir."  
  
"Then why haven't you taken it?"  
  
"Sorry sir, I will sir."  
  
The chauffer tried to remain calm as he drove the car through an icy forest behind Domino City Park. Snow obstructed his view, and as he tried to keep the speeding car under his control on the slippery road, a flash of chesnut brown dashed across the road. The chauffer slammed his foot on the brake, and with a loud screech the limo swerved dangerously.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?!?" shouted Kaiba.  
  
"I'm sorry sir, I thought I saw something."  
  
That something reappeared, and before the driver could do anything, there was a loud 'THUD' and then all was silent. Two doors of the limo opened, and Kaiba and his chauffer stepped out into the snow.  
  
"Sir," started the chauffer nervously, "We appeared to have hit a small deer."  
  
Sure enough, a Sika doe lay on her side in the middle of the road, thrashing about, vainly struggling to get back on her feet. The ruffled CEO felt a slight twinge of guilt when he saw that it wasn't going to get back on its feet, but he shook the feeling off with ease. 'At least it wasn't a person' he reassured himself, 'a person's family can sue, but nobody cares about some animal hit by a car. It won't be missed.'  
  
"Sir," asked the chauffer meekly. "Shouldn't we call a veterinarian sir? These deer are sacred to some and-"  
  
"Are you suggesting that we waste more time over some creature from the woods? Don't make me laugh. Leave the deer for the carnivors of the park so we can get back to Kaiba corp."  
  
As soon as he finished his words, the tiny doe raised her head, and gave him a long sorrowful stare. Brown eyes met blue, and her gaze rooted the pitiless Kaiba to the ground. He felt as though a trickle of ice-cold water was slipping slowly down his spine. As he watched, the doe made one last feeble attempt to get up, pushing with all of its might on all four of its crumpled legs. Exhausted and mortally wounded, it laid its head back on the snow, took one last shuddering breath, and then ceased to stir. The silence returned again. After what seemed like an eternity, the chauffer timidly spoke up.  
  
"Mr. Kaiba, sir?" He asked cautiously. His words seemed to pull the transfixed CEO back to reality.  
  
"What are you standing around for; I'm five minutes late already!"  
  
"Yes sir! Right away sir!"  
  
As the limo turned back on to the road and sped towards it's destination at doubled speed, Kaiba looked back through a window at the spot where the deer's body should have been. To his amazement it was gone. Kaiba tried in vain to shake of the feelings of bewilderment and foreboding clouding his mind as the snow-frosted forest shrunk in the distance.  
  
Somewhere up in the sky on a large lofty cloud, transparent-white human- like figures rushed hurriedly to and fro, each with either a stack of papers in hand, or just yelling and carrying on like stock brokers during a market crash. In the midst of all of this confusion there stood a tall, important looking pearl-white desk. At this desk sat a dead man.  
  
Dead as a door-nail in fact.  
  
Yet there he sat in his transparent glory trying to answer a number of different telephones at the same time. Several long heavy chains were draped around his body, not obscuring the fact that he was wearing old fashioned British clothes usually possesed by well-to-do businessmen. Anyone fortunate to have come across a certain story by Charles Dickens would recognize him instantly, for his name was in fact, Jacob Marley.  
  
"Hello? Anti-Scrooge inc. this is Marley speaking...We're out of spirits? But I have an enormous case that needs taking care of! And what about the fat guy? Yes, of course I mean the ghost of Christmas past...He's busy? Yes I understand you illiterate pencil pushing.What did you say about my mother? Goodbye!"  
  
Marley slammed the receiver back on its cradle and rubbed his temples in exhaustion. A slim attractive female ghost floated up to him.  
  
"Mr. Marley sir, there seems to be an incredible shortage of eligible ghosts to take the next case, as of now we only have two. You'll have to choose which of the two you want."  
  
"What are the choices?"  
  
"Well, there's a squirrel, and there's that doe that was hit by a car somewhere in Japan."  
  
Marley thought for a moment, "Hmm, I've had bad incidents with squirrels, creepy little buggers.I'll go with the doe. Just give her a human form, the ability to talk, average human intellect, one of our company T-shirts, and send her down to me immediately."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
The female ghost floated off, and Mr. Marley was left alone again in the chaos.  
  
'I can't believe that there were only two spirits open for this job,' thought Marley 'mortals just aren't dying like they used to. How sad...'  
  
All of a sudden, Marley could hear frantic high-pitched screaming becoming louder from about 20 feet above his desk. He looked up and saw someone plummeting at full speed towards him.  
  
"Oh good, our new spirit is here."  
  
That someone hit the floor in front of the desk bouncing up for a second due to the cloud- covered décor. Marley grabbed a nearby company pencil and gave her face a quick poke.  
  
"Hey you down there, are you alright?"  
  
Marley leaned over his desk, and calmly gazed upon what looked like a young woman with loosely curled hair and very large eyes lying panic-stricken on the ground. Her pale white skirt and blouse were wrinkled, and oddly enough, two fuzzy doe's ears protruded from the top of her head. Slowly, she opened her mouth and in a trembling voice asked,  
  
"Am I dead?"  
  
Marley looked relieved.  
  
"Yes dear, I'm sorry but you were hit by a car about an hour ago. Don't worry, you're not in hell, or heaven for that matter, instead you've been sent here to-" Suddenly the girl sprang to her feet.  
  
"What do you mean 'I'm dead'? I can't be dead yet I'm too young to die!!!"  
  
"Miss, if you would calm down, I'd explain everything-"  
  
"I can't be dead now! I was in the prime of my life! Wait.Why am I a human?!?! This can't be happening to me!" She pounced in Marley in a mad furor. "Hey you! If you're God or something, send me back, 'cause I can't go to hell just because some rich guy hit me with his limo, and I really don't deserve-"  
  
"ENOUGH!" Yelled Marley angrily. "Firstly, yes you are dead, secondly, you're not in heaven or hell, you're at Anti-Scrooge Inc." The ghost-girl had stopped wailing, but looked confused.  
  
"Anti-Scrooge Inc? What's that?"  
  
Marley sighed. "Well I guess I should start from the beginning. Anti- Scrooge Inc is a company started by myself, Jacob Marley, with the help of the wandering spirits of the world around the 1870s. Our purpose is to find and eradicate Scrooge's, or as mortals call them, nasty-snobby-rich-yet- unfortunate-people. We do this by sending ghostly agents down to earth to show these Scrooges their past, present and future to get them to change their evil ways and become jolly, respectable humans. This Christmas, there has been a surplus of Scrooges, so we're completely out of spirits of the past present and future, and we have a Scrooge in serious need of all THREE. "  
  
"And this concerns me, how?"  
  
"Well, you've been asked to serve as a spirit of the past, present and future."  
  
"Sounds difficult...What are the perks?"  
  
"Perks?"  
  
"How high's my salary? Do I get weekends off? Will I get a cute guy secretary? One of Santa's reindeer would be greeeeaaaaat for that job..."  
  
Marley blinked. "...Maybe we gave you a little too much intellect."  
  
"...Will I be required to attend those dumb company picnics that you humans like so much? Can I have a-"  
  
"Alright! Sure! Whatever! Just take a look at your assignment first."  
  
Marley pulled a picture out of his desk drawer, and handed it over. The newly recruited spirit's persona turned a sudden 180.  
  
"Hold everything! There's no way I'm helping him, he was riding in the same car that hit me! He didn't care one bit that I died, so there's no way I'm helping him. Find another agent for this guy, because I'm not going NEAR him."  
  
"Wait! You're the only agent left; you've got to take this case! If you don't, terrible things will happen to this boy, and those who care for him."  
  
"NO! NEVER, NO TIMES A BILLION!"  
  
"But it you do this I can have it arranged..."  
  
"NO! I told you, you bald little man, that I won't do it!  
  
"It's possible that we could..."  
  
"I'm not listening, lalalalaLAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"YOU CAN GO BACK TO BEING A DEER AGAIN!"  
  
All pandemonium in the floating office stopped at once. The ghost girl took her hands off her ears and asked,  
  
"You mean if I do this, I can go back home? Back to my forest, and my friends, and the grass, and the sky..."  
  
"Yes, yes, now let me explain,"  
  
"...And the trees, and the snow, and the raccoons, boy do I miss those raccoons..."  
  
"YES, you will have your raccoons! Now let me explain the ground rules!"  
  
Marley pulled a large flower with pretty red petals out of his pocket. "Rookie spirits can not last for long in the living world, so this poinsettia flower will be your timer. Just get back here before all of its petals turn brown and fall off, and I'll restore you. Will you take the case?"  
  
The deer-girl contemplated her choice for a while, and then finally solemnly nodded.  
  
"Wonderful!" Exclaimed Marley. "You'll need this handbook with the rules, and this book on your assignment's life. It should tell you everything you need to know about his past, present and future. By the way, do you have a name?"  
  
The deer-girl curiously poked at the petals of the red flower Marley had given her. "Just call me Poinsettia." she replied, and then vanished. Marley leaned back in his chair.  
  
"I hope she can pull this off, I've given her quite a hard first assignment."  
  
Suddenly she reappeared with a confused look on her face. Marley was not pleased.  
  
"Yes? Now what do you want?" he asked irritably.  
  
"What do these do?"  
  
"Sorry, what?"  
  
"These?" she asked poking at the soft parts of her chest with an index finger. Marley made a grab for a pair of stray pencils on his desk and jammed them into his nostrils to staunch the oncoming ectoplasmic nosebleed. Poinsettia continued, "I'm not familiar with the human anatomy. Do they store water or something?"  
  
"Yeb, yeb!" Yelped Marley with some difficulty, "Jus, go! You hab your assibment, now GO!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lil' Washu: I'm on my second chapter, and I'm finally getting down to the plot. So what do you readers think of my OC?  
  
OC haters: *Collective Glare*  
  
Lil' Washu: Eeep! Don't worry; there *cough* probably *cough cough* won't be any romance between this OC and any character on the show...  
  
Poinsettia: Oooh, lookit, I can wiggle both sets of my ears!  
  
Lil' Washu: ...For obvious reasons. Well let's see how long it takes for Poinsettia and Kaiba to tear each other apart next chapter. Will update really soon, so please review!  
  
Poinsettia: And don't forget the scene contest-thingy!  
  
Marley: *stuffing tissues up his nose* 


	3. Haunted Aria

Lil' Washu: Gee, I hope I can finish this by Christmas, or at least New Years.  
  
Yami Bakura: Not a chance.  
  
Yami Malik: Nope.  
  
Kaiba: Keep dreaming.  
  
Lil' Washu: Of course I can finish it! I'm an authoress so I have REVIEWER POWER, the power of really kind readers who bother to leave me any kind of a review.  
  
Kaiba: I suppose the amount of reviews isn't terribly embarrassing, though this is your second time around publishing this thing. Try actually finishing it this time!  
  
Yami Bakura: Are you kidding? She never finishes anything!  
  
Lil' Washu: NOT MY FAULT! First my dog, then my uncle creamed my computer.  
  
Poinsettia: Excuses, Excuses...  
  
Lil' Washu: Hey, I thought you were on my side! Anyways, I just want to thank the first four people who reviewed when this fanfiction was first published LAST YEAR. So thanks to Sincere Angel, Fate and Renee the Rabid Squirrel for reviewing!  
  
Lil' Washu: Oh, and just to warn you, there's a smidgen of mental torture in this chapter.  
  
Kaiba: *glare*  
  
Lil' Washu: What?  
  
Kaiba: *glare*  
  
Lil' Washu: It's only a smidgen, I swear!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Start Chapter*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Outside of the only lighted window of Kaiba Corp, Poinsettia floated invisible to all, in a sitting position reading the handbook given to her on being a spirit of past present and future. She didn't seem at all concerned that a horde of dead people were keeping her company.  
  
"Chapter one," she read, "When dealing with a particularly stubborn client, it's usually a good idea to scare the living daylights out of he or she before actually confronting the aforementioned jackass. Be sure to make a big entrance. [See p. 1134 for Anti-Scrooge Inc's company jingle] (Company Jingle?)" Poinsettia scratched her head nervously. "...I'm not really into this sort of thing, can I get a little help.  
  
A flaccid, pompous looking spirit laughed. "Sure, why not girly? I've been haunting this place ever since that ass fired me, and I developed a taste for arsenic. He's a tough cookie to crumble, but I guess I have help now, eh?"  
  
"Would you believe he fired me right before the holidays?" Asked a mournful female ghost. "I couldn't stand life after that...can't really stand death either though..." Suddenly everyone wanted in to the action.  
  
"He took over my company!"  
  
"He gave my job to the cappuccino boy!"  
  
"He never gave to my charity!"  
  
"He turned me down for a date 68 consecutive times! 68!!!"  
  
"He threw me out on the street!"  
  
"He wouldn't buy my Girl-Scout cookies!"  
  
"Ok, ok, enough." Said Poinsettia, waving a few of the spirits away from her. "You can help me shake him up a little but then you leave, vanish, disperse, rest in peace you get it? Thank you!"  
  
At the same time, in that only lit window Seto Kaiba sat at a desk, fuming over a note that the stockholders he was supposed to be meeting with had left. It read,  
  
Dear Mr. Kaiba, It is our regret to inform you, that because you seem to be arriving late to our scheduled appointment today, we must leave to take care of other business at that charity cocktail party we told you about. We trust that you will be able to file the concise report that we have left you on your own. Happy Holidays!  
  
Kaiba ripped the note into tiny pieces and flung them into the air. 'Concise report indeed! Those idiots left me with a fifty-page report, and all of my secretaries are off. This wouldn't have happened if my slow- minded chauffer hadn't stopped to mourn over some beast from the park. I'll give him something to mourn over. A pink slip!' He stopped raging for a moment and recalled the look the struck deer had given him, shivered, and then mentally slapped himself for feeling such emotion.  
  
'In this business, there's no room for useless sentiment.' He reminded himself. 'I learned that lesson long ago, and I can never forget it. If I were to show even the slightest bit of remorse, those corporate vultures would pounce on Kaiba Corp and turn it back into the horror it once was. They see Mokuba as my weakness, and would try to kidnap him again.' He paused and shivered violently, chasing off bad memories. 'They could even kill him just because they know it would destroy me...I just can't let that happen.'  
  
He glanced down at the city, the holiday lights visible even from his altitude. He could even hear some large groups of carolers starting on Do You See What I See. His eyes hardened, and he tore his eyes from the window.  
  
'That's why I have to remember to forget holidays. I must forget sentiment; forget any nonsense that could put Kaiba Corp and Mokuba in any danger.'  
  
He rifled through the five-inch thick packet of statistics, every so often sighing, or draining another cup of espresso.  
  
The only person in a thousand-room complex.  
  
A draft whipped around the room suddenly, chilling the young businessman to the bone. To close the guilty window, but to his bewilderment, none were open. Giving his temples a quick massage, he slid back into his seat. He had only just tried to collect himself when a flighty-sounding giggle interrupted his thoughts.  
  
"Who's there?" He bellowed. "Show yourself. This had better not be some sort of joke; I'm not in the mood!"  
  
Nobody answered, but he could swear that there were quite a few people snickering somewhere in his office. He was sure that he heard some far-away voices say, "Ooh lookit! He's gone all white like a sheet."  
  
"Aw, poor baby, are we scaring you?"  
  
"We just want to sing is all."  
  
The voices were getting louder and the room colder. Seto Kaiba could feel his heart beginning to beat in his chest. The quickening lub-dub was louder than any other sound in the room, yet still the voices grew louder as did the sound of the carolers outside. Kaiba pressed his back against a wall trying slide his way toward the door.  
  
"Tee hee, trying to get away is he?"  
  
'Stop this!' He mentally screamed at himself. 'There's nothing there nothing at all. It's just my imagination. Mokuba must have tried experimenting with the coffee again. There's nothing here.'  
  
His back must have hit a light switch, because at that moment, the lights went out, and his vision depended on the distant lights decorating the city. Beads of sweat cascaded down his face, and his chest heaved as he breathed deeply, trying to reclaim his stolen voice. The night was suddenly silent. Then, to his horror, an un-earthly disembodied chorus began to sing.  
  
"Do you see what I see?"  
  
Kaiba's eyes, if at all possible, opened wider. The voices, which seemed to come right from within his very office, grew louder, echoing off the walls.  
  
"Said the blowing night wind to the little lamb, Do you see what I see? Cold as mother's tombstone, little lamb, Do you see what I see? A heart, a heart, frozen stiff like ice, Black and frigid as a tomb, Black and frigid as a tomb."  
  
That was enough proof for the frightened teen. He made a dash for the door only to be cut off by a shower of razor sharp paper hurled in front of his way by some un-seen force. Looking away from the door he saw that the documents he had previously working on were floating. People were beginning to form from the walls. Semi-transparent people who he knew had died long ago. Their demonic singing continued.  
  
"Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy, Do you hear what I hear? Ringing through the sky shepherd boy, Do you hear what I hear? The cries, the cries, of those cast to the cold, The victims of the boy's frozen heart The victims of the boy's frozen heart."  
  
Kaiba backed himself away from the door, half-paralyzed with fear. 'This can't be real, it's all a trick, some sort of sick plot, some sort of plot...' he told himself repetitively. Suddenly, the lights began to flicker, file cabinets opened and shut, their contents pouring out into the room, confetti for the ghostly guests throwing some sort of deranged Holiday Party. Along with laughter and singing, Kaiba could hear soft cries of good tidings. "Merry Christmas" said one spirit,  
  
"Happy Chanukah" "Happy New Year" "Feliz Navidad" "Happy Kwanzaa" "The festive season is upon us! Sing with unbridled voices!"  
  
The chorus of spirits began their final verse, slowly moving in and cornering the petrified teen. Their voices rose to an incredible volume.  
  
"SAID THE WAND'RING SPIRITS TO THE FOOLISH BOY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE KNOW? RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, FOOLISH BOY? DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE KNOW?"  
  
"Stop it..." whispered Kaiba, "...None of this is real...none of you are real!"  
  
"Frigid as a tomb."  
  
"This isn't real, it's all some plot!"  
  
"Frozen like the ice!"  
  
"STOP IT! GET OUT!"  
  
"FRIGID AS A TOMB!"  
  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"  
  
"HEART AS BLEAK AS ICE!!"  
  
Panicking, Kaiba spotted a baseball bat of Mokuba's, a rare find in his usually sterilized office. He made a swift grab for it, and desperately swung with all of his might at the semi-transparent jeering, mocking faces. Frantic and disturbed, he did not seem to realize that the bat went straight through his targets, not harming them in any way. He recognized those faces; these people had once worked for him. They had taken their own lives, some driven to the grave by stress from their jobs. Or at least that's what the police said...  
  
The chorus suddenly dropped in volume, preparing for a crescendo.  
  
"Do you know what I know?"  
  
"Stop it, you're not real..."  
  
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW?"  
  
Their faces pressed closer to his. Though still struggling, Kaiba could name them in his mind, 'Johnson, Watanabe, Sanzenin...'  
  
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW?"  
  
'Rodriguez, Misaki, Smith, Gozaburo? Gozaburo?'  
  
The young CEO closed his eyes tight, and with the last of his strength screamed,  
  
"NONE OF THIS IS REAL! YOU'RE ALL DEAD, LONG DEAD, LEAVE ME ALONE!"  
  
Suddenly the night was silent.  
  
Daring to open his eyes, Kaiba saw that his "guests" had vanished, leaving only his ruined office behind. He dropped the bat and let himself fall to the floor in shock, his chest heaving, and his eyes wide. 'Am I losing my mind?' he asked himself.  
  
Suddenly a chill ran down his spine. He felt some prescience behind him. Slowly and fearfully, he turned his head to meet his new visitor. A nearly transparent girl, with large eyes, short lightly curled hair, and two odd looking ears sat on her knees. She smiled, gradually leaning over him, forcing him to lie against the floor, panicking for the second time that day. Her faced nearly touched his, and yet he could not feel nor hear her breathing for the sole reason that she was dead. Moving almost impossibly close, she grinned and whispered,  
  
"Boo."  
  
End Chapter*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Lil' Washu: That was possibly one of the scariest things I ever wrote...  
  
Kaiba: *glare*  
  
Lil' Washu: Quit that, and maybe I'll let you get through this fic with your sanity intact. Tell me what you thought of this peoples! REVIEW! 


	4. The Past

LW: WEEEEEE! Let's play a game!  
  
Yami: This I can handle.  
  
LW: Betcha can't guess what I'm high on!  
  
Yami: The heart of the cards?  
  
Mokuba: Sugar?  
  
Tristain: Sugar?  
  
Y. Bakura: Marijuana?  
  
LW: Nope, I'm currently high on FLUFF. WHOOOO!!!! 'Cause there's fluff coming up soon, pure holiday fluff garnishing the overall plot. DOUBLE WHOOO!  
  
Y. Bakura: I think I would have preferred the narcotics.  
  
LW: ....But then it gets sort of melancholy...ok really melancholy...  
  
Kaiba: What now?  
  
LW: That would spoil the plot...go read the story allready people. Ok, just one more...WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO! There, now are you satisfied? READ!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Look at it Tea! See how it sparkles?"  
  
"Yeah Mai, I saw the first hundred times you showed me too." Tea replied.  
  
"Gee, I didn't think Mai would be so pleased with her gift." Commented Joey.  
  
"If it's shiny, and she can wear it, she likes it." Said Tristan.  
  
"The funny thing about that necklace," continued Joey "Is that it's supposed to grant wishes."  
  
"Come on, Joey, I was with you when you bought that thing from that scary- looking Chinese man. For the last time, pieces of jewelry DO NOT grant wishes."  
  
"But my puzzle granted my wish, Tristan." Interjected Yugi, "I finally got the friends I always wanted!"  
  
"Well, that's different, Yugi...yours is a puzzle...thingy, not a necklace. Oh whatever, Mai seems to like it anyway, doesn't she?"  
  
Joey's mood suddenly flip-flopped.  
  
"I was hoping the darned thing could really grant wishes. I have one really important wish that can't come true."  
  
"Try wishing harder." Suggested Bakura  
  
"Forget it," replied Joey, "None of that stuff is actually real...Don't worry Yugi, I'm excluding yer puzzle, stop lookin' at me like that!" 'Darn his enormously large eyes.' brooded Joey.  
  
The doorbell rang, causing a small interruption in the festivities.  
  
"Hey Yug," asked Joey, "Did you invite anyone else to the party?"  
  
"Yup. I thought the snow cancelled their plans, but I guess not." The instant Yugi opened the door; something flashed by him and latched itself onto Joey.  
  
"Happy Holidays big bro!"  
  
Joey pulled his younger sister off of him in disbelief.  
  
"Serenity? But how? You told me that you couldn't come this year, you kept saying it would be a burden no matter what I told you. How?"  
  
"It was really weird Joey; I got this letter begging me to come visit you. I knew it wasn't from you, there were no spelling errors. The weirdest part was that it was signed, 'from Christmas spirits #1 and #2'" Perplexed at her brother's astonished face, she sadly asked, "Aren't you glad to see me Joey?"  
  
"Whaddya mean? Of course I'm glad, I, I...Hey Serenity...you aren't wearing perfume are you? 'Cause something's messing with my allergies and making my eyes tear...What are you guys looking at? It's not like I'm cryin' or anything..."  
  
Joey gave up on talking, embracing his sister, trying to hide happy tears from sight.  
  
"And guess what Joey, I'm not the only one here. Mom, come say hi to Joey!"  
  
Mrs. Wheeler waved shyly from the doorway, trying to stay out of the limelight.  
  
"Season's greetings Joseph. How are things?"  
  
Joey looked up at his estranged mother with shining eyes.  
  
"Mom? You too? I guess my wish really did come true..."  
  
The rest of Yugi's guests watched in happy silence. Mokuba watched as well, but he did not feel the same pleasure as the others. He smiled at the scene, but he could not hide the feeling of bitterness growing within.  
  
*~*  
  
"So you're my first assignment, right?" Poinsettia circled Kaiba mischievously. "Remember me?" Kaiba quickly swapped the frightened look on his face for his usual cold glare.  
  
"No, I don't." he replied curtly, "and I don't believe in ghosts, spirits or otherwise, so why don't you go haunt some nutcase who does?" He turned his back on her and tried to salvage his battered office papers. Poinsettia watched him, her eyes wide with disbelief.  
  
"Wait, so you're saying that you don't believe I exist, even though I'm standing right in front of you?"  
  
"Correct."  
  
"And even though I'm talking to you"  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
"And you still don't remember me?  
  
"Nope"  
  
Poinsettia struggled to maintain her up-beat attitude. She drifted a few inches in front of Kaiba and said, "Remember this?" and flashed him the same look she had a few seconds before her death. Kaiba froze. The same ice cold feeling spread over him as it had before.  
  
"Listen," Poinsettia continued, "Remember that doe you hit with a car earlier? Well that was me, and somehow I wound up at this place between heaven and hell, where they recruit spirits to help mean, nasty people like you become nice, cuddly (ok maybe not really cuddly) human beings. I'm supposed to be showing you your past, present and future right now, so-"  
  
"Remember when I told you that I don't believe in ghosts?" Interrupted Kaiba.  
  
"Yep!"  
  
"I also don't believe in lying, babbling, spirits of road-kill." Poinsettia tried to control her raging anger as he turned away, and continued salvaging his work. Poinsettia's up-beat attitude spontaneously combusted. While she mused over the different ways to torture and kill an annoying human, Kaiba thought to himself, 'After my imagination calls it quits and the road-kill ghost disappears, I'm going to have a nice long chat with my therapist, and then forget that this ever happened.' He glanced behind him for a second to check if the Poinsettia had disappeared, which of course she hadn't. 'My imagination is being stubborn today.' Poinsettia regained her composure.  
  
"Fine then," She growled, "I'll make you believe me!"  
  
"And just how are you going to do that? Bore me to death with your babbling?"  
  
In a split second, she and Kaiba were no longer inside the walls of Kaiba Corp, but outside, floating fifty stories above the ground where the city lay sparkling below. Kaiba panicked.  
  
"What have you done?" He asked in panic. "Who do you work for, and what do you want?"  
  
"Funny, I think I remember telling you all of that already, but I guess your skull is too thick to absorb that information. You're about to experience your past, present and future. Maybe you'll actually gain something from it, but with a big head like that, I doubt it."  
  
"Past, present and future?" He asked in disbelief. "Sounds like some idiotic play I took Mokuba to see one year."  
  
"He probably didn't think it was so idiotic...Not that you would know of course."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" He demanded clenching his fists. Poinsettia only giggled.  
  
"You'll see." She replied, and snapped her fingers once again, and the surrounding city faded into a white mist.  
  
*~*  
  
Mai's pendant lay temporarily forgotten as everyone hurried to get Serenity and Mrs. Wheeler settled. Mokuba picked it up and gazed into it hopefully. It was pretty and smooth, its surface dotted with other natural elements. It had been. But Mokuba was not interested in its shape or colors.  
  
'This stone worked for Joey;" he thought, 'it actually brought his family to him. Maybe I'll work for me.' He closed his eyes, and silently made his wish, but to his nobody came bursting through the door. He tried again, squeezing his eyes shut and the stone until his hand hurt. When nothing happened, he sighed, and put it back on the table.  
  
"Don't worry Mokuba, the holidays aren't over yet."  
  
Mokuba jumped, surprised by Yugi's sudden appearance.  
  
"Wha, what do you mean Yugi?"  
  
"Your wish, it's no secret what you wished for. Don't worry, Christmas isn't here yet. Twenty-four hours is plenty of time for your brother to change his mind."  
  
Mokuba looked away, softly saying,  
  
"I honestly don't know what you mean, Yugi. My brother has a whole company to run. He doesn't have time for..."  
  
"For you?"  
  
Yugi watched the boy with compassionate eyes. His question had frozen Mokuba to his seat.  
  
"I-It doesn't matter, why should I care what my brother does with his time. I can look after myself! Seto can do what he wants."  
  
Yugi watched as Mokuba got up and walked off to a darker corner of the shop. Inside of his soul room, Yami his light's sudden change in temperament.  
  
'Yugi, what's the matter?' Asked Yami through their mind-link, 'you should be enjoying these mysterious holidays that you speak so much of, but instead I sense sadness.'  
  
'I'm ok Yami. It's Mokuba I'm worried about right now. You see, everyone's spending the holidays with the ones they love, except for him. Kaiba doesn't really buy into this "togetherness" sort of thing, but I know Mokuba does. It's sort of sad, because he has to feel all alone during the holidays and there isn't much that I can do about it.'  
  
Yami sighed. 'Yugi, I understand how you feel. Up into now, you have always been able to help those you care about, but I'm afraid that there isn't much you can do this time. But do not trouble yourself. I have a feeling that sooner or later Kaiba will come to understand how his little brother feels. Until then, just be there for Mokuba as you have done for so many others, and try to have some fun.'  
  
Yugi felt a little more relieved. 'Thanks Yami. You always have the best advice.' Yugi let his mind return to the peaceful surroundings of the Game Shop as he fruitlessly tried to help the little Kaiba feel at home.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
'Where am I?'  
  
The mist had faded, and left Kaiba standing over a large dull looking building. It looked like a very large house with many windows. The entire complex was covered in snow, and someone had hung a few scrawny pieces of garland on the surrounding trees. A few small kids were throwing snowballs or sledding. Somehow it all seemed very familiar to the floating businessman.  
  
'Is this all a dream? If it is, then who was that dim-witted figment of my imagination from before? What does she want from me? But wait...This is the orphanage where Mokuba and I were abandoned after our parents died.'  
  
The spirit-girl had returned again, this time floating behind him, laughing.  
  
"I brought you here to see what you used to be," she teased, "when you actually knew what the holiday spirit was all about. Come with me!"  
  
Before he could stop her, she had grabbed his sleeve and pulled him through the roof.  
  
'How does she do that?'  
  
She had pulled him inside a large room, where even more children were scattered around a sparse plastic Christmas tree in a corner. The room was filled with the sounds of their laughter and yelling. All of them seemed happy, except for one little boy almost completely un-noticeable by a window. He was leaning against a window-pane watching the snowfall. He had long black hair, and grayish blue eyes...  
  
"It's Mokuba!" He said with disbelief. 'The spirit wasn't lying then, she's really showing me visions of my past.' Kaiba growled angrily. He was well used to enemies of his using his past to get what they want. But somehow, the phantom girl didn't seem like one of his typical power-hungry adversaries. She was simply...irritating...He turned his attention back to the boy at the window. It really was Mokuba, at only five years of age. For some reason, he was all alone, and Kaiba couldn't quite remember why. He heard footsteps behind him, turned, and gasped. At the age of ten years was Seto Kaiba though not officially a Kaiba at that point. The younger version of himself placed his hand on little Mokuba's shoulder.  
  
"What's the matter Mokuba?" he asked his face full of concern. "Don't you want to have some fun with the others? You seem so lonely."  
  
"I'm alright."  
  
"You can't fool me Mokuba, I'm your big brother, remember?"  
  
"Really I'm, it's just that...well, do you remember that lady and her husband that came here yesterday?"  
  
"Yeah, I remember."  
  
"Well, do you remember when that lady said that they wanted to adopt you, but they only wanted you, and not me, because..." he stopped and sniffled for a minute and then continued, "...because they only wanted a special boy, like you. They had seen how smart you were, and they said that they wanted to take you home right away. They wanted to leave me behind."  
  
"Is that why you're upset Mokuba? That lady might not have thought you were special, but that's her loss, because she's wrong."  
  
"That's not why I'm upset, Seto. I'm upset, because when they asked you if you would come with them, you said no. You had a chance to leave this place, but you said that you wanted to stay here...with me. You should have just gone with them, and left me here."  
  
Mokuba slid to the floor, and held his legs to his chest hiding his face from view. My younger self knelt to where his was sitting. He asked gently,  
  
"Mokuba, I would never do that, you know that I wouldn't. After all, how would you feel if I went away with that family?"  
  
"I, I guess I'd feel really sad, and lonely." he looked up from where he had hidden his head. "I'd still be alright though, because I'd know that you had a home for the holidays, and you'd see a real Christmas tree, and you'd actually get a gift for Christmas, 'cause I can never get one for you!" His sad dark eyes welled up with tears. "You should just forget about me, and go have a real family, and have a mother and a father, just like you had before I was born!"  
  
Tears started to roll down his face, and he cried, "But instead you chose to stay with me! You're the most likely to be adopted 'cause you're really smart, but that'll never happen 'cause you want to stay with me, the one that nobody wants! That lady told me...she told me that if I really loved you, I'd tell you to go with them...she told me that you would never be adopted if I kept hanging on to you like a baby. If you left I'd be lonely, but it'd be better than keeping you from being happy... "  
  
Mokuba burst into tears, his sobs shaking his tiny body. The younger version of his older brother pulled him into a comforting hug and gently patted his back, trying to stop his tears. He whispered,  
  
"Don't cry Mokuba, it'll be all right. Whatever made you think that you were keeping me from being happy?" Mokuba didn't reply, but buried his face into his brother's sweater. "Listen Mokuba," continued the smaller Seto, "you're my little brother, and I love you. You're worth a lot more than any trees or gifts. As long as I have you, I'm happy. I promise that as long as I live, you'll never feel lonely, because I'll never leave you all alone. Remember that."  
  
Mokuba stopped crying, and looked up. "You promise?"  
  
"Yeah, of course I promise."  
  
The same white mist from the city surrounded us again, and the scene vanished. I was left floating in nothingness for a second time.  
  
Poinsettia sighed like a heart-struck schoolgirl. "That was so sweet!" she cooed. "It makes me wonder whatever happened to you. You used to be so darn cuddly!"  
  
"I guess you could consider that sweet if you're a soap-opera watching idiot."  
  
Poinsettia gave her own fuzzy ears a good yank, counted to ten, and chanted a Buddhist mantra to keep herself from ripping her assignment into deer kibble.  
  
She then pulled a book from the sash of her skirt. Kaiba could have sworn that he saw his name printed on the cover in gold, but he didn't have time for a closer look. She said simply, "I don't know everything about you yet (thank the Lord), so I'll just let this book pick where we go for me. Hold on tight, and if you feel like barfing, do it somewhere far from me."  
  
"Hold on to what?" Yelled Kaiba. Poinsettia ignored him.  
  
The book glowed with a brilliant light, forcing Kaiba to shield his eyes. The mist receded, and this time they were standing in a dark office. The place looked familiar as the last place had, but not in a good way. A man standing pacing by a window caught his attention. He turned, and I saw his face, and suddenly he recognized him.  
  
"Gozaburo," he said, his voice shaking, "Our foster father."  
  
"Oh, so I'm finally getting a response from you," Poinsettia teased. "Apparently this guy, whoever he is, seems to be uncovering some of your bad memories. Maybe this'll make you listen to me."  
  
Sure enough, the infamous Gozaburo Kaiba himself sat in his expensive office chair gazing out of the window. However something was wrong. The man's brow was furrowed and his hands shaking. There was a half-full cup of some strong-smelling drink on his desk, and several more empty bottles of the stuff lying around the his chair. It was obvious that the man was under an immense amount of pressure from his frazzled appearance. Poinsettia began to wonder what she had gotten them into.  
  
Without warning, Gozaburo Kaiba snarled, "Where is that lazy wretch of a boy? He should have been here a half an hour ago."  
  
Kaiba began to recognize the very place and time. It was the Christmas Eve of the year after he had won our adoption in a chess match from Gozaburo Kaiba. He began to remember the very day he was seeing, and he didn't want to remember any more.  
  
"Take me back!" He demanded, "I don't want to see any more." but Poinsettia was for the moment unforgiving.  
  
"Listen you," she snapped, "You are a SCROOGE, and like all scrooges, you have to witness at least one pretty bad memory. It's your own fault, so I suggest that you suck it up! Maybe after this, you won't be so quick to murder innocent forest critters."  
  
"I didn't murder you, it was an accident!"  
  
"But you didn't care!"  
  
"Should I have?"  
  
"SCROOGE!"  
  
"...Imaginary!"  
  
"Why, HOW do you still refuse to acknowledge my existence?"  
  
"That's easy; I just remember that I'm not insane."  
  
"Why, you!"  
  
Their argument was cut short as a brown-haired, blue-eyed boy of about 11 years stepped into the office, his stern face masking some unknown fear.  
  
'Well that's unusual.' Thought Poinsettia.  
  
She noticed that in only one year's time, her charge had grown to look a little more like his arrogant present-day self. His eyes had grown colder, his complexion paler, and his body much scrawnier as if he had lost a lot of weight in a very short amount of time. She noticed that though he was standing stiffly in front of the larger man after noticing his present disoriented state.  
  
"Where were you?" asked the larger man in a gruff angry voice. "I told you to be here over a half an hour ago. You were supposed to be in your room preparing that new computer program. Where is it?"  
  
"It's right here, sir." said the younger version of Seto Kaiba as he handed the larger man a compact disc. He took it, and shoved it into the disc drive of a laptop in the corner of his office. He watched the screen for a while, and then turned slowly back to the boy standing in the center of the room.  
  
"It's incomplete," he said dangerously softly as he approached the boy slowly.  
  
"But, but I followed your entire set of instructions sir." the young Kaiba stammered. He kept his body stiff and his head down as his foster father approached him. One of his father's employees had warned him about how "tense" Gozaburo can get during the holidays. There were rumors that his step-father had once broken the arm of a maid for angering him in a conversation over carpeting. He had suspicions that some de-humanizing thing that happened to his step-father over the holidays one year, but he didn't dare ask what...  
  
"Nonsense!" Gozaburo reached for the boy, grabbed his neck, and forced him to look up at him. "I know that you weren't in your room working on this program. In fact lately, you seem entirely distracted from your duties as heir to this company." He increased the force of his grip on young Kaiba's face. "And I think I know what that something is. Your younger brother." The expression on the boy's face turned to terror.  
  
"Mokuba? No, he's not a distraction, he's not!" His voice was beginning to quiver with panic, as if trying to hide some all-important secret. "I've been trying as hard as I can! I've been-"  
  
Without warning, the larger man pulled back his fist, and plunged it deep into Seto's stomach. The air rushed out of his lungs, and he crumpled like a dead leaf. Poinsettia put a hand to her mouth, gasping in surprise. 'What crime had the boy committed to deserve that?'  
  
"You pathetic liar!" Screamed the larger man, this time striking him in the head, slamming his step-son into a wall behind him. As the boy slumped over, a small box wrapped in shiny paper fell out of one of his pockets, and landed in front of Gozaburo Kaiba, who picked it up "What's this?" He demanded.  
  
"That, that's nothing!" The younger Kaiba stammered desperately. The elder Kaiba ripped it open and pulled out a small glass angel ornament. The angel had a few words etched on the hem of its robe that said, 'So You'll Never Feel Alone'.  
  
"You call this nothing?" he screamed, and then grabbed and lifted the boy by the neck. "What is this? Tell me!"  
  
His captive struggled to breathe for a few brief moments, and then with difficulty murmured, "It's a gift."  
  
"For who?"  
  
"...For Mokuba. Please...it's Christmas Eve...let him have a little fun...he deserves it..."  
  
His raging foster father paid no mind to his pleading. Instead he released his step-son watching him fall painfully to the floor. Gozaburo Kaiba sneered at the little glass figurine in his hand, and then before the younger Kaiba could stop him, he hurled it with all of his might at the office wall. His foster son looked on in horror as it exploded into millions of tiny glass shards.  
  
Poinsettia tore her eyes away from the frightening scene long enough to see the change in the present-day Kaiba. His face was filled with an absolute rage, his fists were clenched, and his arms bent at the elbows, as if he were about to attack his foster father. He was enraged, and yet helpless to stop the scene from the past. He could only watch his younger self suffer under a man that he utterly hated. Poinsettia felt something stir in her heart as she watched him. She had no idea what could drive humans to be so cruel to each other. She winced as she saw the smaller Seto's torment wasn't over yet. Gozaburo dragged him by his shirt collar to the office window overlooking the city where people were scurrying like tiny ants from building to building.  
  
"Look down boy!" He commanded. "What are all of those people doing?"  
  
Little Kaiba made no response, as he was still in shock after watching the gift for his little brother shatter. Frustrated tears streamed down his face, mixing with trickles of blood. Gozaburo grew angry again, and slammed the child's head into the windowsill. "ANSWER ME!" He screamed.  
  
"They're shopping...for gifts." He whispered painfully.  
  
"And why are they doing this?"  
  
"They're for people they care about..."  
  
Poinsettia winced as Gozaburo struck him again, and again for not answering correctly.  
  
"Idiot!" he shouted, "They're doing this because they're idiots like you who actually think this season means something other than money and time. Wasted money and wasted time! Now how long did it take you to find that gift? Where did you buy it from? How much did you spend? TELL ME!  
  
"I...I can't remember." He screamed as he received a kick and a blow to the head for that. Gozaburo grabbed his collar, and pulled the quivering boy dangerously close to his face.  
  
"You bought that from a competitor! Now listen! Every year around this time of year, Kaiba Corp's rivals gain millions from consumer spending. This season is all about those people wasting money on gifts, nothing more, and you had the nerve to waste this company's time and money! If I catch you wasting any more time, or I'll throw you back in the orphanage so fast that your neck will snap. Now get out!" He landed a few more kicks in the young Kaiba's stomach before he finally managed to stumble out the door. Poinsettia floated numbly after him, sensing that the present-day Kaiba was following her.  
  
They caught up with the Kaiba's past image in a hallway. He had stopped at a water fountain to wash the blood and tears off his face. He sighed and flattened his bangs over where his foster father had hit his face then stiffened after hearing footsteps from down the hall. It was his little brother Mokuba, who ran towards him full of smiles wearing blue jeans, a little red jacket and a Santa cap. He ran up to his older sibling and threw his arms around his waist.  
  
"Hi Seto! Happy holidays!" he said cheerfully.  
  
"Hello Mokuba." His elder brother replied bleakly.  
  
"Are you alright Seto? You look really sad. And what happened to your clothes? You look like you were in a fight or something."  
  
"I fell down the stairs." He quickly lied. "I'm fine, really." Mokuba didn't look convinced.  
  
"I know! I'll give you your present early. Maybe it'll cheer you up." He pulled a small crudely wrapped box out of his pocket and tried to hand it to his older brother who asked,  
  
"How much did you spend on this Mokuba?"  
  
"Umm...a lot of coins I think...but that doesn't matter, right?"  
  
His older brother gently pushed the gift back into his little brother's hands and said, "I don't want it."  
  
"Huh?" Mokuba's eyes widened with shock. His brother continued,  
  
"Ask whoever you bought it from to give you your money back." Mokuba stared at him disbelief.  
  
"But Seto, what about Christmas and-" Kaiba interrupted him.  
  
"Forget about Christmas Mokuba. From now on, I think we should both just forget about it, there's no point. Now leave me alone, I have a lot of work to do." He turned heel, and walked away, leaving his shocked little brother behind.  
  
Kaiba could only vaguely remember that day. He hadn't thought much about it, but seeing his little brother's eyes fill with tears again brought back old sympathies. He watched as Mokuba slid down to the floor of carpeted hallway, not noticing that his ghostly companion had chosen to follow his younger self.  
  
Poinsettia found the past version of Kaiba in a small cramped room with no furniture. He was sitting rigidly on the floor by a computer computer, re- doing his "incomplete" computer file. He reached for the mouse, but then drew back his hand wincing in pain. Though he was alone, he still scrubbed his eyes with his sleeve every few seconds, afraid of being seen crying. Poinsettia felt her own brown eyes water as the child's blue ones filled with shameful tears. He curled up on the floor crying in pain and sorrow, all alone once more. Poinsettia kneeled down closer to him and heard him murmur, "Stupid useless holidays. Dumb presents...big waste..."  
  
"So this is what you were before you became so arrogant." Poinsettia said softly. She knew that he couldn't hear her, being just an image of the past. She watched him cry silently, then added, "I know...I know that your present day self didn't want to see you suffer...but I have to do this, if I can change his ways, then I'll be restored to life, I, I have to be firm." She remembered the look on Kaiba's face when he saw Gozaburo beating his former self. "It was so weird, he looked so...helpless...I just don't understand how humans...I just don't.  
  
She heard a soft noise beside her. The little Kaiba had fallen asleep all curled up on the floor. His bangs had fallen over his face, hiding his wounds. 'He looks so peaceful. Maybe I could give his present-day self a little time to recover before showing him the next scene if there's time left.  
  
She pulled the poinsettia flower Marley had given her out of her sash and counted the petals. "Let's see, how do these human numbers go again? Oh yeah, one...dos...tree, four? Only four petals left? I think I had a lot more when I started this trip. Marley said that spirits can't last for very long in the mortal world. If I let my time run out, what will happen to me? I don't wanna be free-floating ectoplasm!' She imagined a blobby ectoplasmic version of herself. 'No way, it's his fault I'm like this, and I have a job to do, there's no time for mercy. She got up and prepared go find her assignment, but I couldn't help but steal one last glance at the sleeping boy.  
  
"I'm so sorry, little Kaiba"  
  
Back in the hallway, the present-day Kaiba was watching over his disheartened little brother.  
  
'I don't understand. Years ago, after I made my decision about not wasting so much time on the holidays, I didn't notice any change in Mokuba at all, but from this perspective he seems...heartbroken. Why didn't I notice...Is it possible that I didn't choose to notice this?'  
  
Mokuba pulled of his cap, picked up the rejected gift, and threw it with all of his strength at the opposite wall. Kaiba watched as the package burst, and duel monster cards wrapped in shiny paper were scattered all over the hall. Kaiba kneeled by them to get a closer look.  
  
'These cards are really expensive,' he thought to himself, 'Mokuba must have saved for months to buy these.' His thought were interrupted by his brother's sniffling. Slowly, and with unsteady hands the child opened his treasured locket with his Seto's picture in it. Sadly he whispered,  
  
"Seto, I don't care that you don't to waste time on gifts or anything like that. It's just that lately, you seem so sad and cold, and you've been like that ever since we were adopted. Every Christmas before, no matter how bad things got at the orphanage or at home; you would always smile and be tough. You would always cheer me up like you did a year ago. Now that you don't like the holidays anymore, how can I do that for you? You don't even have time to talk to me anymore. I guess that's why I have to say this to a dumb necklace instead of you!"  
  
He snapped the locket shut and prepared to hurl it against the same wall as the gift. Then, while having second thoughts he quietly lowered his arm and looped the locket back around his neck. Sniffling, he got up and walked down the hall, leaving the gift behind to be thrown away by some maid or janitor. Kaiba, forgetting that this Mokuba was only a memory said aloud,  
  
"Mokuba! I don't understand. Aren't the gifts, garland and wrapping paper what the holidays are about? Everything's so commercialized now, every big event has turned into nothing but a sales hike. If the gifts didn't matter to you, then why are you upset? Mokuba!" He could only watch helplessly as his brother kept walking down the hall, deaf to his cries.  
  
"Wow, are you really that thick?" Poinsettia had re-appeared behind him.  
  
Kaiba flashed her a bitter glance but said nothing.  
  
"Come on," she continued, "it's time for a change in scenery. She flipped through the pages of her book, as the melancholy halls of Kaiba corp. dissolved like watercolor paints.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End Chapter*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lil' Washu: *sniff* Well, I suppose this chapter isn't what you'd call a heartwarming Christmas fic, but don't let that ruin the holiday spirit!  
  
Shippo: Yeah, especially not when there's still candy canes to be eaten! ^___^  
  
Kaiba: Who invited the moochers?  
  
Lil' Washu: Hey, how did you get in here? This is a Yu-Gi-Oh! holiday fic.  
  
Meowth: Some kid with a tri-colored porcupine for hair invited every single anime character and cartoon known to man here.  
  
Goku: WOO HOO! Party! And that means FOOOOD. Lots of FOOD!  
  
Lil' Washu: Yugi, your habit inviting possible unwanted guests is beginning to get to me.  
  
Yugi: Don't be mad! I'm just spreading the holiday spirit that's all!  
  
Joey: Yeah! Now where's the dip!  
  
Lil' Washu: Oh well, since there's nothing I can do about it now, I might as well-  
  
Rook + Areca: Party hardy!  
  
Lil' Washu: ^____^ Next chapter will be up soon! Keep reviewing, and-  
  
Everyone: HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 


	5. The Present

LW: YEAH BABY! I'm on FIRE! NEW CHAPTER NEW CAHPTER NEW CHAPTER!  
  
Poinsettia: So somehow you've managed to maintain such a cheerful attitude, even though you're technically the grim reaper?  
  
Botan: Yep! I can give you tips for dealing with stubborn lunkheads anytime you want!  
  
Poinsettia: Thanks!  
  
Kaiba: ...  
  
Yusuke: ...  
  
LW: *sings* This chapter won't be nearly as long as the last one, fa-la-la- la-laaaaa, la-la-la-la!  
  
Poinsettia: I still don't understand how you stay so cheerful.  
  
Botan: Simple. Every time I feel a little gloomy after dragging someone down to hell, I just think, at least I'm a life extinguishing shinigami like that guy. *points to Hisoka*  
  
Hisoka: ...  
  
Tsuzuki: Leave Hisoka alone, you meanies!  
  
LW: JOY to the world, it's time to start the chapter, please read, and leave, REVIEWS!!!!!  
  
Everyone: ...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~  
  
Over the sparkling city of domino, two shadows, Poinsettia and Seto Kaiba, soared above unseen to any below. Poinsettia zipped ahead hurriedly, and Kaiba behind reluctantly. Silence remained between the two, until he spoke up.  
  
"Well this is un-natural."  
  
"What? Oh, you mean flying un-aided miles above a city during a snowstorm experiencing past, present and future? I guess it is, but that's life, or in my case, death."  
  
"That's not what I meant. Aren't you supposed to do your little disappearing act to get to wherever you're taking me?"  
  
"I can't this time. That's only for experiencing visions of the past and future, Scroogey. The present is only accessible through the use of invisible flight. It says so in Holiday Haunting for Dummies. It's one of the books that Marley guy gave me."  
  
How fitting." Poinsettia chose not to answer, but Kaiba decided that he'd had enough of the silence.  
  
"Why are you doing this?"  
  
"Doing what?"  
  
"You know what I mean."  
  
"Oh, you mean flying un-aided miles above a city during a-"  
  
"That's not what I meant! Why are you doing this to me? When you show me these visions, are you really laughing, enjoying your revenge?"  
  
Poinsettia again didn't answer, and Kaiba didn't try to make her. They both maintained their tense state until finally, Poinsettia, then Kaiba, landed on the snow-covered path before a very well-known shop.  
  
"The Turtle Game shop? Spirit, why have you brought me here? Spirit? Figment of my imagination?"  
  
She had already disappeared into the game shop walls, and Kaiba feeling that he didn't have much of a choice, followed. When he found her inside, her deer-like ears had wiggled as she looked around in rapture. She completely forgot about her job and floated around the room watching everything from Serenity mischievously sneaking up on Mai and Joey with a bough of mistletoe, to Tristan trying to sing Jingle Bell Rock on the karaoke set. She explored around the tree, with its mountain of gifts surrounding its base.  
  
She squealed with delight. "Humans are such strange but at least they know how to have fun." She went back to drifting around the party with Kaiba far behind.  
  
"So," he gloated, "it looks like you're proving my point."  
  
"What point?"  
  
"My point about how the holidays are all about the gifts, the trees, the sparkle, the glimmer, the things that I can do without. I saw the way you eyed those gifts. They're what are keeping everyone in this room happy, and you know it."  
  
"You really think so?"  
  
"Don't you see how it's all just a waste of time? Everyone here spent hours finding gifts, and hundreds buying them. When they exchange them, they'll all 'ooh' and 'ahh', but after this season's over, they'll end up in a dump somewhere along with the Christmas tree and of all the trimmings." He threw Poinsettia a triumphant smirk. "Understand?"  
  
Poinsettia gave her head a hard shake, causing her ears to flop about. She beckoned for him to join her by Yugi and Tea who were exchanging gifts. Tea pulled the wrapping paper off of Yugi's gift to her, revealing a tiny glass music box, with a little ballerina perched on its top. "Yugi," she breathed in surprise, "thank you, it's beautiful!"  
  
"Well, since you like to dance, I thought it would be nice if I gave you a- ah- "  
  
Yugi was interrupted as Tea pulled him into a hug, causing him to blush un- controllably. Kaiba still remained skeptical. "What was the point of showing me that? That box will most likely just sit on a desk somewhere collecting dust."  
  
"That's not what I wanted you to see. Look at them, look all around you. It's not the lights, or the tree that gives this place its sparkle. What's putting a smile everybody's face is being with the people they love. That's really what makes this season special; it's that everyone finds a way to spend time with his or her loved ones. Understand now?"  
  
"No, because none of this is true. If it were, then how do you explain the way you drifted around this party, grinning at the decor."  
  
Poinsettia wrinkled her nose in confusion. "Oh, you mean, that weird looking shiny stuff they've hung all over the wall?" She pointed to the garland. "Or those boxes wrapped in paper over there? Or that really odd guy making weird noises?" She pointed to Tristan with the karaoke machine.  
  
Kaiba growled, "I hope you're not going to try and push the religious bit of this holiday on me, I've never really put much stock in religion and I don't need a preacher-"  
  
"And you won't have one. I was sort of hoping you could explain this religion business to me. I was a deer before you flattened me, not a human, so I don't really understand what all of that stuff has to do with the holidays. I just like watching all of these people enjoying each other's company. You should too."  
  
They looked again at the party. Yugi was still blushing after his hug from Tea, Bakura was lecturing Grandpa Motou how to make a proper gingerbread cookie, Mai pecked Joey on the cheek, Joey fainted, and Tristan was gazing at Serenity with heart-filled eyes while she sang The Christmas Song. Kaiba, who still remained unaffected muttered, "You have no way of proving that it's each other that's making these idiots happy. You've just bored me into not believing you."  
  
"So," asked Poinsettia sadly, "You still need more proof? Fine then. I'll show you someone here who has no one to share the holidays with, someone who feels very alone right now. You'll see how much he differs from the others."  
  
"And I suppose this 'someone' is supposed to move me into lapping up everything you're telling me."  
  
"It should, or you're even more hopeless than I thought. Look over there!"  
  
She pointed to a corner hidden from the rest of the game shop where the light and luster of the festivities didn't touch. There it was dark and dismal with the exception of a window that let in a streak of light and displayed the quick-falling snow. Against that window leaned a lonely boy of ten years with long black hair, and sad blue-gray eyes. Those eyes of his watched the party in anguish. Every so often, those eyes filled with lonely tears. "It's Mokuba." Kaiba whispered, and then turned away from Poinsettia and his little brother in shock.  
  
"Doesn't it look familiar?" asked Poinsettia. "I think I remember someone promising this boy that he would never feel lonely as long as he was alive. Where is that someone now, Kaiba?" He made no attempt to retort, but kept his back facing her. Poinsettia's anger boiled. "Are you shocked Seto Kaiba? Does it surprise you to find out that you were wrong about the holidays? Face it dear, your cruelty is like old fruitcake, it lasts, and lasts, and lasts..."  
  
"So what you're trying to tell me is that I'm an insensitive person who's even forgotten his own brother?" asked Kaiba bitterly without turning around. Poinsettia nodded and replied, "Yep, that pretty much hits the nail on the head."  
  
"Then get this over with. Show me your last pathetic visions so you can stop tormenting me and I can go back to being the cold, cruel Scrooge that you say I am." His shoulders shook a little, and he kept his eyes squeezed shut. "At least I'll finally be rid of you and your idiotic attempts to change me.  
  
Poinsettia stared at him in confusion. She thought to herself, 'I give up. There's no way I'll ever change this guy no matter what I do. I guess I should just show him the last vision before the last four petals of this flowers fall...that had better not be guilt I'm feeling...' She pulled the book on the past, present and future of her assignment out of her sash and flipped ahead. 'That's strange, this book is supposed to show me Kaiba's Christmas future, yet it only goes one day into the future, and then abruptly ends. Time to be nosy.'  
  
As she read the few remaining pages of the book, the expression on her faced turned from bland to shock, to horror, and then to pain. "No," she whispered sadly, "This can't be right...I don't understand." She dropped the book and distanced herself from it as if it would bite her.  
  
"What's the matter spirit?" Asked Kaiba bitterly, "Can't handle death? I know this story well. The last vision that you will show me is my own death. I'm predicting that you're about to show me how I'm going to die years from now as an old geezer, a lonely corpse with nobody to mourn it. Nobody except one." He cast a shadowy look at his solitary little brother. "I might not have understood how he felt about this whole holiday mess, but I know that he'll still be loyal to me to the end." Poinsettia made a tiny noise between a whimper and a cry. 'I really can't fix this!' Poinsettia mentally screamed. 'Nothing I do can change what happens next, it's already too late!' Sadly she said to him,  
  
"I'm going to show you something like that, but it's not years into the future, it's much closer than you think." She looked at him with large eyes no longer filled with anger or taunting. "I want you to understand that what I'm about to show you is probably irreversible. I'm not sure if I can do much about it."  
  
Kaiba didn't appear to be worried, but he asked himself, 'Am I really going to die so soon?'  
  
Poinsettia, knowing what was to come thought, 'But it gets worse than simply death...so much worse.'  
  
The game shop dissolved.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End chapter*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lil' Washu: Is Kaiba's going to die soon? How could things get worse than him dying? Is it really irreversible? Can anything be done to change fate?  
  
Miroku, Watari, + Vash: *insanely drunk* I WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD! Keep on holding on your desire! You will get that shining love!  
  
Lil' Washu: By the way, I'm placing a severe angst warning on the next chapter...  
  
Vash: LOVE AND PEACE...AND EGGNOG!  
  
Lil' Washu: Of course everyone here is too drunk to care...  
  
Mokuba: Not everyone! What are you going to do to my big brother?  
  
Kaiba: *brooding* Don't worry Mokuba, if she does anything too serious, there's always the possibility of revenge using that revolver in your closet. Remember that? It was one of your first playthings.  
  
Poinsettia: Waaaah...  
  
Lil' Washu: Ok, I need someone to do a holiday disclaimer. Poinsettia?  
  
Poinsettia: WAAAAAAH!  
  
Lil' Washu: Kaiba?  
  
Kaiba: *glaring*  
  
Yugi: Lil' Washu does not own Yu-Gi-Oh, InuYasha, Trigun, DBZ, Yu Yu Hakusho, FLCL, Yami no Matsuei, or Change the World by V6. Sue her, and you get coal for Christmas.  
  
Lil' Washu: Thank you Yugi. Don't forget to review!  
  
Miroku, Watari + Vash: Change My Mind Won't get lost if your passion's true I'm gonna fly with you again So you could spread your wings And you will fly with me away It's Wonderland! 


	6. The Future

LW: I updated!  
  
Joey, Tristan + Duke: GENKI NO SHAWAA!!!!  
  
LW: That means, Shower of Happiness, I think. However this chapter isn't so happy...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Start Chapter*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Almost as soon as the game shop disappeared it reappeared again, but this time with a dramatic change. The bright, glowing, atmosphere of the holiday party had been replaced with a dark, gloomy aura. There was no light, except for the flashing red and blue of an emergency vehicle parked outside.  
  
Serenity, Tea, Bakura, Joey, Mai and Tristan were all huddled quietly around something on Yugi's cream-colored couch that Kaiba couldn't see from across the room. Two paramedics were looking over that something, and after a few tense moments, one stood up, shook his head and said a few quiet words. His speech had an immediate effect on the others. Tea and Mai put their heads in their hands, and started to sob, and Bakura slid to the floor hiding his eyes with his snow white bangs. Joey kneeled by the couch, with a stricken look in place of his usual blithe expression, and Tristan turned mournfully away.  
  
Kaiba tried to move closer, but Poinsettia grasped his sleeve in a vice- like grip, preventing him from seeing something she'd prefer he didn't. Kaiba was curious, but didn't try to argue. "Did something happen to Yugi?" he asked quietly. Poinsettia didn't respond, instead keeping her expression grimly blank.  
  
All remained silent in the shop, until Joey suddenly raised his fist in the air, and slammed it into the floor.  
  
"Damn it all!" he screamed in sorrow, "Why'd they have to go an' get our hopes up?'We may be able to save him' they said, 'don't give up hope yet.' Damn doctors! He'd been frozen for hours! We knew it from the moment we found him, didn't we? It's not fair! They couldn't do anything! They couldn't do anything, an' neither could we! It's not fair! It's just not fair!" He stopped, and repeatedly punched the floor in frustration, then gave way to tears. Mai placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Joey," she whispered sadly, "don't say things you don't really mean. You know it wasn't the paramedics' fault that this happened, and it wasn't our fault either. These things just...Happen." She buried her face in Joey's shoulder. Serenity kept her head in her hands, but said,  
  
"When I saw him, I, I was thought that he might have still been alive. But his eyes were closed, and he was frozen all over so we called an ambulance and his...I don't understand. Who'd be cruel enough to kill a little boy on Christmas Eve?" She stopped suddenly and went back to crying.  
  
Tea wiped her eyes, leaned over the back of the couch and asked,  
  
"Yugi, you were the one who found him, weren't you?"  
  
Kaiba walked haltingly to where Tea was speaking. There, sitting against the back of the couch was Solomon Motou, comforting his shaken grandson who clung to him with his violet eyes wide and wavering. "We were too late." he sobbed, "Just a few minutes too late...if only...I should have noticed he had left...I actually forgot that he was here...He's gone...I'm so sorry."  
  
A cold sickness washed over Seto Kaiba. He felt numb, cold and ready to collapse. His heart rate quickened, and his eyes widened as the realization of whom they were talking about hit him. "No." he breathed softly, and took a step towards the couch. "No, please no, tell me this didn't happen." He stepped again. Poinsettia made no effort to hold him back, but instead closed her eyes and let herself drift towards the ceiling. Kaiba stepped through Joey and Tea, and dropped to his knees.  
  
"MOKUBA!"  
  
There on the couch everyone had hidden lay the body of little Mokuba Kaiba. He was sopping wet, his raven-black bangs plastered over his small innocent face. Someone had placed a blanket over his still form as a last desperate attempt at warming him. His sad little smile was frozen in place and his eyes were closed, never to open and brighten his face again. Kaiba made no attempt to hide his feelings this time. "Mokuba..." he cried in grief, "...how could this happen? Wake up! Wake up and say you're alive! I can't bear losing you! You're the only one I have, don't leave me!"  
  
He tried to grasp the hand of his little brother, but his passed through Mokuba's. He became overcome with choking sobs. "You're too young for this to happen...you never did anything to deserve this. Oh Mokuba...please." His own brilliant blue eyes softened and filled with tears, and he collapsed in grief.  
  
No one spoke for a while. No one, until Yugi managed to squeak out, "Kaiba got here a little while after the ambulance did. Where is he now?"  
  
Tristan replied, "He went upstairs, he said he wanted to be alone for a moment. He was really stunned."  
  
"I think we should leave him be for now," whimpered Bakura. "Mokuba's death has left him as a sort of empty shell of a human. It's...it's worse than being soulless. He needs time to pull himself together."  
  
For the moment, the present-day Kaiba remained still stunned and grief- stricken on the game shop floor. He gradually came to his senses.  
  
'This can't be right,' he wondered, 'why would the spirit show me this, this horror if she can't do anything to reverse it. There must be some way, there had to be.' "Spirit!" he called, she did not answer "Poinsettia?" he asked uncertainly. He searched in panic around the room, and saw the hem of her skirt disappearing through the ceiling and followed her. He pursued her to a dark room, gloomier than the one downstairs. The room was obviously used for storage, being filled with boxes of every game imaginable.  
  
Underneath the only window in the room rested the silhouette of someone who was, and yet was not Seto Kaiba. Everything was the same about him, and at the same time different. He had the same blue eyes, but dulled with grief; the same brown hair, but disheveled. Kaiba's future self raised one of these hands slowly, as if in physical pain, and grasped the locket hanging from around his neck for comfort. Kaiba felt himself do the same. In a voice unlike his own that trembled and shook his future image began to talk.  
  
"Is this a punishment? Is this the price I have to pay for what I have done? It must be, because there is no greater price to pay than losing you Mokuba, none at all."  
  
He flipped the locket open, and in painful anguish cried, "Little brother, why did this happen to you? Why did you wander away from the party? Why didn't you come home to the brother who loves you? Why have you left me all alone"  
  
Overcome, he paused and sighed, "Maybe because I left you alone when you needed me the most." Slowly, he stood up and leaned against the window, still gazing into his locket.  
  
Poinsettia watched in grief. This was the fate worse than death. The loss of his last loved one would drive this boy insane, it was obvious to her. What she did not understand was why she had been summoned for this case. The image continued his lament.  
  
"In a way, you could say that I deserve this pain. My suffering reflects that of the people I've made suffer, and yet no crime I've ever committed is greater than this one...I let you down little brother. I wasn't there for you when you needed me the most. While the rest of the world celebrated, you were alone. I didn't understand what those holidays of yours were all about, but I understand now. I understand why you left Yugi's party. You were the only one without the one you loved by your side. You needed me and I wasn't there! I broke my promise!"  
  
He stopped again, and put a put hand to his face. After spending the next few minutes gazing longingly into the locket, he slowly closed it. In a wave of grief, he fell to his knees clutching his heart and taking short, painful breaths.  
  
"Mokuba," he gasped, "throughout all of my life, I have never felt a pain as great as this...I wish...I wish only to end it, I can't go on alone." His eyes fell on his infamous briefcase, the one that his little brother had always struggled to carry for him. "A way out..." he murmured, "a way out." He pulled it near him, and turned toward the window, his back facing Poinsettia and the present-day Kaiba. He pulled something out of the case. Something shiny. Something that Kaiba couldn't see as Poinsettia gently pulled on his trench coat sleeve, leading him out the door and back down the stairs. He followed her in a dazed, shocked obedience, trying to understand what he had just heard.  
  
Through a window at the front of the game shop, the paramedics were routinely preparing a body bag and stretcher in the blinding snow. Yugi, Tea, Joey, and the others looked on in silence, still suspended in a numb sorrow. Yugi asked quietly, "Has Kaiba come back downstairs yet? I know that he'll want to say goodbye." He motioned toward Mokuba's undisturbed body. Before anyone could reply, from upstairs Seto Kaiba's grief-laden voice rang out,  
  
"MOKUBA, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR WHAT I HAVE DONE, WHAT I HAVE NOT DONE, AND WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DO! PLEASE REMEMBER THAT I LOVE YOU!"  
  
With that he finished, and throughout the game shop a sudden 'BANG!' of a gunshot echoed followed by a heavy thud. Everyone froze. The existing Kaiba stared up at the ceiling, his mouth open, and his body shaking. Everyone did the same, until finally Yugi broke the horrible silence, broke away from his grandfather, and tore up the stairs. Within a few moments, his screams were heard. "KAIBAAAAAA!" Outside, the paramedics looked at each other, nodded, and started to prepare another body bag. The screams and voices melted away as did Yugi's living room, leaving Kaiba kneeling in the darkness, unaware of anything except his own sorrow.  
  
*~*  
  
"Why can't I stir this? Hey! Tristan, it says to add five tablespoons of water to the icing mix, not five teaspoons."  
  
"How would you know Joey, you're the one who lost the recipe!"  
  
Joey and Tristan glared at each other from opposite sides of a wooden bowl full of powdery icing mix. The rest of the gang inched away from the pair, who were infamous for their botched cooking attempts.  
  
"I did NOT lose the recipe! It misplaced itself."  
  
"Suuuure, Joey, it just walked off by itself. Now if you're too fragile and delicate to stir this then I'll just plug it into the electric mixer, put it on high."  
  
"Tristan, no!" Yelled Bakura, "I beg of you, please don't-"  
  
From his place at the window, Mokuba could hear the loud whir of machinery accompanied by the sounds of wet icing splattering against any person or thing in range. That was all followed by angry screaming.  
  
"Tristan, I just got this skirt YESTERDAY!"  
  
"I'm sorry Tea, please don't kill me, it was Joey's fault, ow, OW! Hey I need to use that later. Not the face, not the face! Alright, the face, the face! Aw come on, OW! Joey, HELP!!"  
  
"Why it's your fault!" Joey lobbed a blob of gingerbread icing at Tristan, who managed to escape Tea's pummeling long enough to dodge it. The icing chose Mai's beloved hair for a target instead.  
  
"Joey, prepare..."  
  
"Mai, please don't be mad!"  
  
"...for the longest..."  
  
"Stop lookin' at me like that Mai!"  
  
"...ass-kicking of your life!"  
  
The kitchen erupted in a food fight which covered everyone in sticky icing excluding Yugi who was smart (and small) enough to take cover in a wastebasket. Too bad it wasn't an empty wastebasket.  
  
Mokuba wasn't sure if he'd ever felt more alone. Yugi's friends looked like they were having so much fun yet he didn't want to join in. Nobody seemed to notice him by his window. He remembered how Yugi told him that Seto might change his mind. 'Seto isn't coming.' He told himself, 'Why am I even here? It's too weird to feel lonely when there are so many people here.' He checked his watch. 'It's noon, it won't be dark for a few hours. I need some fresh air.'  
  
Mokuba didn't know where he was going as he put on his jacket, cap and boots, and he still didn't know after he slipped un-noticed out the back door. He shivered as he noiselessly closed the door behind him and pushed his way through the heavy snow.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End Chapter*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lil Washu: That chapter was hard to write....owies. Leave a review if you're not too busy crying to hard or devising ways to kill me. I'll update soon! 


	7. Nightmare

LW: Well, it's after Christmas, but I'm not stopping now! No way! Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year! I should be finishing this up soon, so stay tuned.  
  
Kaiba: Halleluiah!  
  
LW: Oh yeah, and part of this chapter revolves around the card-game BS aka Cheat aka I Doubt It. If you're un-familiar with the game you can check out the rules here:   
  
Format: FF.NET's FORMATTING IS BUGGING ME! There a bunch of things that should be in italics! However, I don't think that this will affect comprehension of the chapter.  
  
Rating: The rating for this chapter is PG-13.  
  
Chapter name: Nightmare  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Start Chapter*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
'It's so dark...Why is it so dark? Mokuba, you can't be gone, you just can't be...I can't...see anything. Where am I?'  
  
Seto Kaiba eyes adjusted to the endless darkness.  
  
"Poinsettia! Where have you taken me? Come out and tell me you can fix this! Poinsettia!"  
  
"Seto..."  
  
A quivering weak voice echoed in the darkness. Kaiba sood up and searched for the source of the voice. He knew he had heard it before.  
  
"Seto...help..."  
  
At last he recognized it as his brother's. He panicked, knowing that from the sound of his voice, Mokuba was in trouble.  
  
"Mokuba, where are you? It's too dark, I can't see you at all!"  
  
"Down here! Hurry!"  
  
Looking down at his feet, Kaiba saw that he was standing on a clear sheet of thick ice. His little brother's panic stricken face came into view almost directly beneath him. He was trapped under the ice, painfully treading rising water. Kaiba dropped to his knees and pounded on the thick ice, urgently trying to reach his weakening brother.  
  
"Don't worry little brother, I'll get you out of there...I promise."  
  
Nearby, Poinsettia watched him, confused at what had happened.  
  
'This isn't real, but I'm not controlling this illusion! Is the book on Kaiba's life doing this by itself?'  
  
She checked the sash of her robe. To her surprise, she found nothing.  
  
'The book, where is it? It was right here in my sash-'  
  
"My dear, are you looking for this?"  
  
Poinsettia whirled around to face a spirit resembling the grim reaper. It's face was cloaked by a dark hood, and it carried both scythe and the missing book.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"He he. Haven't you heard of me? I am the original ghost of Christmas Yet To Be. I am the one controlling this illusion."  
  
Poinsettia glanced back over to where Kaiba had nearly split his knuckles trying to reach his brother. He had been driven into a frenzy by fear of losing his only loved one. It was not a pretty sight.  
  
"Hee, hee, don't worry my dear, he can't hear us right now. He's lost in his own little nightmare. Isn't it wonderful? This is the perfect revenge for your death, is it not?"  
  
"No, no it's not! It's terrible! Make it stop! Why are you doing this?"  
  
Poinsettia stared in horror as Mokuba's strength started to run out and he began to sink into the murky depths. Water flooded into his mouth, causing him to cough as he pleaded for help.  
  
"Seto...please...you said that you cared..."  
  
"I do care Mokuba, I'm trying!"  
  
"Help! Seto!"  
  
The ghost of Christmas yet to be chuckled in that sur-real, echoing voice of his.  
  
"What's wrong little doe? Don't you want to make him pay for what he's done to you? Remember how he struck you down, then sneered as you lay dying in the snow?"  
  
Poinsettia paused as the memory of her death seeped back into her mind.  
  
"But, it was an accident..."  
  
"He spared you no pity."  
  
"But I can't just leave him..."  
  
"There's nothing you can do. The hearts of some humans are as black as the darkest coals. There's nothing you could do to help him."  
  
Poinsettia turned her attention back to her battered assignment. Kaiba had not given up on trying to break through the ice, but it was already too late. Mokuba's weary legs stopped kicking, and his head slipped beneath the surface of the water. As his gentle eyes closed, he whispered a soft goodbye and sank out of sight. Kaiba collapsed from exhaustion and sorrow, his head resting on one of his arms and his eyes wide. He felt as though his chest would split from heartache.  
  
To Poinsettia's bewilderment, the ghosts that had assisted her back in Kaiba corp. appeared and gathered around him, further torturing his tumultuous soul.  
  
"What are you so upset about? It's your fault that the brat's dead!"  
  
"He's gone, and nothing you do will ever bring him back!"  
  
Frightened and angry, Poinsettia pleaded with Kaiba's tormenter.  
  
"I know that he's done some bad things, but many humans do, and that doesn't make them all unforgivable. He's not a bad person...I should know, I've seen his past. Please stop this illusion!"  
  
The cloaked spirit did nothing as the malicious horde of ghosts closed in on the comatose Kaiba. Poinsettia decided that she had seen enough and rushed to his side. She tried her best to look formidable to the approaching ghosts, which proved to be a challenge to the skinny semi- transparent girl with a furryy ears and a tail...  
  
The ghost of Christmas Yet to Be glided to her and asked,  
  
"You know that there is nothing you can do to help this boy. We spirits can't prevent murders from occurring, only natural deaths. Had Marley known that the child's cause of death would be homicide, he would have never given you or anyone the case. Even if you return him to the time when you first appeared to him, you will never find his brother in time. You don't have the power to stay in the mortal realm for much longer."  
  
"I can still try...can't I? This is the season of giving for mortals, isn't it? You know what the humans say. When in Rome do as the Romans do. That's why I have to at least try to give him a second chance. It's a gift of my own."  
  
Almost as soon as she finished her sentence, the nightmare melted away returning herself and Kaiba to the office at Kaiba corp. where it had all began. From his position on the floor, Kaiba began to stir.  
  
Elsewhere, precisely on the same cloud that served as headquarters for Anti- Scrooge Inc, Marley lounged at his desk flipping through his favorite magazine. He didn't notice when the spirit of Christmas Yet to Be appeared before his desk and addressed him.  
  
"Marley!"  
  
"YAH! I ONLY READ THIS FOR THE ARTICLES, I SWEAR!" Marley hastily hid the magazine under his desk. The cloaked spirit continued,  
  
"Marley, I have good news to report on the new girl's case. It appears as though there's hope for Seto Kaiba after all. It took some 'prodding', but I pulled it off. Our new girl Poinsettia has actually started to care about the welfare of her client. That should be enough to tip the scales in their favor."  
  
"Well I hope you're right this time. They have a lot of factors working against them, time being the greatest. If they can't find Mr. Kaiba's little brother in time, then all is lost...But the fact that Poinsettia is thinking about more than herself right now is good news. I just hope they find the boy in time."  
  
Back on Earth, Mokuba Kaiba sneezed. 'I guess the cold weather's getting to me.' He thought. He had wandered many blocks away from the game shop to a hill overlooking a city courtyard near Domino Park. His toes had gone numb, and his cap and jacket were covered in new-fallen snow. He decided to rest on a bench on which he could see the scenery below.  
  
'I think I remember this place.' Thought Mokuba, 'Seto took me here once when we had just been adopted by Gozaburo. He was really busy, but somehow he found time for me.'  
  
Caught in a happy daydream, Mokuba watched the people sledding and shopping below. He remembered how he and Seto didn't have any actual toys, so Seto found a garbage can lid and used it as a sled. 'What ever happened to days like those?'  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a little girl crying.  
  
"Mommy, I put it right here but now it's gone!" Cried the girl.  
  
"What's gone dear?"  
  
"The bag with the present I got you! It's gone!"  
  
"Don't worry, it must be around here somewhere, wait, where's my purse?"  
  
While mother and daughter looked for the lost possessions, Mokuba could see the source of the trouble from his solitary spot on the hill. There were gangsters and pickpockets everywhere disguised as shoddy Santa Clauses and Elves.  
  
'Those punks are from Seto's high school, I've seen them before.'  
  
Slowly, he became angrier and angrier as he watched the gang members desecrate a spot precious to him from his memories. Kneeling down and scooping up a pile of cold snow, he thought to himself, 'I know this is probably a bad idea, but I can't just let those punks ruin the holidays for those people. I have to do something.'  
  
In the courtyard, one of the thugs crouched a few inches behind a lady with a shopping bag near her foot. He chuckled inwardly, knowing that his prey couldn't hear his approach. "That's right," he purred softly to the bag "come to papa." Then, without warning, a cold snowball hit him square in the back of the head. His yelp of surprise alerted is target to his presence. He growled as she picked up her bag and walked off, unaware of her narrow escape. When he looked up to find the source of his humiliation, he saw that his associates were having the same problem.  
  
Mokuba grinned as he watched another of his snowballs curve in a graceful arc then come rocketing down like a missile, striking bewildered target in the forehead. "Stupid, clueless punks." He said aloud laughing.  
  
"Hey kid, who're you calling clueless?"  
  
Mokuba dropped his snowball and whirled around to face one grinning costumed bandit. He mentally kicked himself for not checking to see if there were any gangsters on the hill.  
  
"Congratulations brat, you've managed to seriously tick off some of the most dangerous guys in Domino city." He cupped his hands to his face and called, "Hey guys! I caught the little runt who's been screwin' up our plans." He made a sudden grab for Mokuba, who ducked and took off running down the street.  
  
Mokuba could hear the voices of the gang coming from close behind. His cap fell off but he made no effort to recover it, knowing that he would be caught if he dared to stop. 'I can't depend on Seto this time.' He told himself. 'I just hope I can stay one step ahead of these guys, or I'm in trouble.'  
  
Though completely out of breath, Mokuba quickened his pace and came to a gloomy alley. Seeing his chance, he turned a corner ran into the alley and hid behind a garbage can while out of sight of his pursuers. He could hear the voices of the passing gang as they searched for him outside the alley. Huffing and puffing with exhaustion, he curled up tight trying to make himself as small as possible. 'If they find me, I'll be trapped in here with them. Seto can't help me now, he's too busy working...oh please don't let them find me...'  
  
*~*  
  
"Hey, wake up already? Pretty please? With a cherry on top?"  
  
Seto Kaiba groaned and shifting painfully on the office floor. Someone was shaking his shoulder, and not being very gentle about it. Slowly he opened his blue eyes opened and Poinsettia's face formed before him. Her auburn hair spilled at her sides, and her eyes were filled with worry.  
  
"Hey." she said gently, "Are you okay?"  
  
"Hm, what?" Kaiba said dreamily, his eyes unfocused. Suddenly the memory of what had happened struck him, and he bolted up in a sitting position.  
  
"Mokuba..." he whispered, "...he's gone."  
  
"No, he isn't."  
  
"He's not? Then I can still save him? But you told me..."  
  
"What I told you is not completely wrong. Your brother isn't dead yet, but for all we know he could be hours, minutes, even seconds from death. Spirits interfering in the mortal realm have no power to stop murders from occurring. I was probably given this assignment by mistake..."  
  
"So there really is no hope for Mokuba..." Kaiba's tragic blue eyes strayed to his briefcase lying about a foot from where he was kneeling. "...There's no hope for me either..." He reached for the case, focused on the weapon he kept inside for emergencies. To his surprise, Poinsettia grabbed his wrist, preventing his hand from reaching any further.  
  
"Wha- What are you doing?"  
  
"If there's really no hope for him, just let me end it here." The memory of Mokuba's lifeless body flashed through his mind. He closed his eyes. "...I...I don't want to...see him like that again...just let me end it here...I just...can't take it...I can't..."  
  
"Aren't you giving up a little too easily?"  
  
Kaiba's eyes shot open. Poinsettia continued,  
  
"That kid, he must mean an awful lot to you for you to carry on like this. I'm getting the vibe that he feels the same way about you. From what I've seen, he'd never give up on you, no matter what..."  
  
Kaiba felt his mouth open in astonishment as Poinsettia's own eyes filled with tears. Though those tears began to spill down her face like two rivers, she still said,  
  
"...So that's why...why you can't give up on him, no matter how much it hurts...and even if you're not sure that you'll succeed."  
  
With one violent swipe of her other hand; Poinsettia wiped the remaining tears on her face away.  
  
"So let's go find that brother of yours already! Where's that stubborn will of yours, we're going to need it!"  
  
Poinsettia let Kaiba slip his wrist out of her hand and place it over his face. He stayed like that for a few moments. Then he quickly took his hand away, revealing that his shimmering blue eyes had regained their determined sharpness.  
  
"What are you waiting for? We have an entire city to search!" he growled in his usual commanding voice. "My little brother needs me, so let's go!"  
  
*~*  
  
Joey's eyes scanned his full hand of playing cards meticulously. Then, being sure to shield the identity of the cards from the other participants of the card game being played in Yugi's living room; he double-checked and made sure that he had a three in his hand, then stared at the two cards Yugi had just placed on the card table before them. If he stared any harder, the cards would have exploded.  
  
"So Yug, you're saying that you placed two threes on that pile?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Even though I might have a three in my hand?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"And even though Mai, Tea, Tristan, Bakura and Serenity are also playin' this game?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"And even though dere's a really good chance that at least one of them has another three or two?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
Joey furrowed his brow and glared at Yugi, who simply smiled serenely. For a second, Joey was almost sure that he saw a shining halo floating over his head...  
  
"Oh come on Joey," complained Mai, "either BS him or don't and let me put down my fours."  
  
"Calm down Mai, you can't rush these things. If I BS him and I'm wrong, I have to take entire pile...and my hand is already kinda full..."  
  
"That's because you're bad at this game. You actually BSed yourself one turn. Honestly, who does that?"  
  
"BS him Joey, he's lying." said Tristan.  
  
"Huh? How can you be sure of that?"  
  
"Just look at him, with those enormous violet eyes and that seemingly innocent smile. He's obviously a born liar."  
  
Yugi continued to smile innocently, as if completely oblivious to the electric tension crackling. Tea glared at Tristan.  
  
"You actually expect Joey to believe you Tristan? Come on, who can we possibly trust more than Yugi?" asked Tea.  
  
"Tea, this is a game about lying, and Yugi's the GAME KING. Joey don't listen to her, she's on Yugi's side, they're trying to trick you."  
  
"Oh, but there are no teams in the game of BS." Tea said "I'm just appalled that Joey would doubt one of his closest friends whom he's trusted for so long..."  
  
"Don't listen Joey, she's trying to use the old friendship speech on you, just accuse Yugi already!"  
  
"Friendship, Joey!"  
  
"BS him!"  
  
"FRIENDSHIP!"  
  
"BS HIM!"  
  
"Tristan, if you're so sure that Yugi's lying, then why haven't you BSed Yugi?"  
  
"Um, well you see, I, um, uh..."  
  
Joey swiftly sprang to his feet, pointed at Yugi and declared,  
  
"FOR THIS TURN I WILL...not BS Yug. Go ahead Mai, you can put down your cards now."  
  
"Okay, one four."  
  
"Hey Joey," said Yugi, "Guess what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I lied. I put down a king and a jack."  
  
"WHAT?!?!?!"  
  
"I told you to BS him Joey!!!" screamed Tristan, "Tea was lying! She was in cahoots with Yugi the whole time!"  
  
"Tea lied?" asked Joey in astonishment.  
  
Yugi grinned and high-fived Tea, who had burst into a fit of uncharacteristic demonic giggles...  
  
"But Tea," whimpered Joey, "Whateva happened to trusting in your friend, and all dat stuff..."  
  
"Sorry Joey," laughed Tea, "but in the game of BS, all that friendship crud goes out the window...What? Why are all of you looking at me like that? I drank the virgin eggnog, I swear!"  
  
"Hey Joey?" asked Serenity sweetly.  
  
"Yeah sis?"  
  
"What exactly does BS stand for? Nobody's ever told me before."  
  
"Er..."  
  
The doorbell rang, saving Joey from further embarrassment. Yugi happily ran to the door and opened it. Two tall figures, each masked by a long off- white cloak adorned with gold hieroglyphics stood on the doorstep.  
  
"GHOSTS!" screamed Joey and Tristan.  
  
The "ghosts" calmly removed their cloaks revealing,  
  
"Ishizu, Odion," Yugi said warmly, glad you two could make it. I guess Marik didn't want to come, right?"  
  
"No, he didn't," answered Ishizu, "but I made him come anyway, I needed someone to carry the gifts."  
  
She stepped aside revealing Malik crankily struggling up the steps with a very large sack on his back. Ryou Bakura, who had been spacing out on the couch, noticed his millennium ring glow and his Yami drop into Marik's mind for a quick visit.  
  
'Marik, you resemble that fat, jolly man popular with modern-day children.'  
  
'Shut up tomb robber, I'm not in the mood.'  
  
'Better keep off the milk and cookies. I'd hate for you to lose your pretty girlish figure.'  
  
Malik glared daggers at Ryou who shrugged apologetically.  
  
*~*  
  
As he shivered hiding in a snow bank, Mokuba could hear harsh voices and footsteps coming from outside of the alley. Realizing that he had held his breath, silence returned. He cautiously peeked from behind the trashcan, searching for any nearby gangsters. Finding none, Mokuba crept out of the alley, and ran through the snow back towards the park.  
  
When he arrived, he noticed that people were heading home due to the worsening weather. As he watched families head off to welcoming homes, Mokuba had to fight to keep envious tears from forming in his sad eyes.  
  
"Lucky them," he said softly. He approached the fountain, and gazed at his lonely reflection in the sparkling ice. The words of his older brother bombarded his mind.  
  
"Find somebody else to play with!"  
  
"I told you Mokuba, I don't have time for this!"  
  
Does that mean that you don't have time for me Seto?  
  
"It's just a big waste of time!"  
  
Please, Seto...I don't want to be alone...  
  
"Forget about Christmas!"  
  
"Take back your stupid gift, I don't want it!"  
  
Seto...  
  
"I promise that as long as I live, you'll never feel lonely, because I'll never leave you all alone. Remember that."  
  
"LIAR!"  
  
Mokuba's voice echoed throughout the park. He didn't care if his brother couldn't hear him.  
  
"I DON'T NEED YOU! I DON'T CARE IF I'M ALONE! AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT BIG BRO? I DON'T NEED ANYONE! I DON'T NEED CHRISTMAS, AND I DON'T NEED YOU! I HATE YOU!"  
  
He grit his teeth, staring up into the sky after his voice. Freezing snow- laden wind pierced his jacket, but he still refused to resign himself to tears. "I...hate you..." he whispered, his voice cracking. He suddenly grew alarmed as he sensed that someone was sneaking up behind him.  
  
Before Mokuba even had time to turn around, he felt a large gloved hand clamp over his mouth and constrict his neck with an arm, strangling him and muffling his frightened screams.  
  
'I thought I lost these guys! I should never have come back here!'  
  
He struggled wildly as he felt himself being dragged into the dense woods and away from any possibility of being rescued by a passerby. Mokuba's struggling grew even more frantic as he heard more gangsters running towards him. He managed to pull his head out of his captor's hand, and then sink his teeth into it.  
  
The gangster pulled back his hand, screaming in pain. This gave Mokuba just enough time to wriggle out of his grip. He tried to flounder through the snow.  
  
'That's it, almost there, just a few more steps...'  
  
Mokuba was only a about a yard from the edge of the woods when he felt the cold links of a metal chain wrapping around his neck and tightening. He choked, coughing and gasping as he felt himself being yanked to the ground and dragged back by a sneering teen with the rest of the chains wrapped around his hand. He could hear people yelling things like, "Reel him in like a fish Linx, we'll teach him some manners."  
  
When Mokuba had been yanked close enough the gang pounced on him. He struggled, but they were all just too strong, and he soon found himself with his arms and legs pinned to the ground. "Let me go, you freaks! Do you know have any idea who-" Mokuba's words were cut short as a heavy fist slammed into his gut, causing air to rush out of him as it would a balloon. He gagged and choked as one of his attackers wrapped his fingers around the child's neck and pulled his limp body completely off the ground.  
  
"So, runt, you thought you'd play hero, didn't you? Thought you'd ruin our last chance to grab some holiday goodies, huh? Answer me!"  
  
Mokuba's dug his fingernails into the attacker's thick arm, glaring defiantly and trying hard not to show fear. He managed to choke out, "Let me...go you...idiot...pickpocket..." The gangster's green eyes narrowed in ferocity.  
  
"Kid, I think it's time me and the boys taught you some respect. What do you say to that." His grip tightened, and Mokuba could only choke, "...ah...ah, hurts..."  
  
Mokuba had not time to prepare himself for the balled fist that connected with his right cheek and sent him flying back into the snow. The rest of the gang followed suit, eager for their chance to take out their frustrations on a helpless child.  
  
As Mokuba's world became nothing but a tempest of cruel punches and kicks, he tried hard not shame himself by crying. He refused to let his mind admit it, but only the thought of one person gave him comfort as he coughed and writhed in agony.  
  
"Se...to..."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
LW: Chapter done! By the way, I won't update this unless I get a few reviews. No point in updating if nobody's reading.  
  
Yusuke: Which I'm sure they're not.  
  
(Y)Bakura: Why are you people still here? 


	8. Frozen Feet

Chapter Title: Hide and Seek - Game Start!  
  
LW: I'm so excited! At the end of this chapter, I'm gonna do two things that I've never done before in the world of fanfiction! I'm finally gonna prove how much I love you readers and reviewers!  
  
Kaiba: You love them, yet you torture me...  
  
LW: But I love you too! And you're not the one who gets tortured this chapter!  
  
Kaiba: What's that supposed to mean? You wouldn't!  
  
LW: Violence and angst warning! Chapter start!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ryou's shy voice serenaded Yugi's Christmas party. Malik pouted nearby.  
  
Oh holy night,  
  
The stars are brightly shining  
  
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth  
  
All eyes and ears were on the makeshift stage in Yugi's living room. Yami Bakura and Malik's quarreling had led to a one-sided fistfight, a drinking contest, and then, oddly enough, a singing contest stalemated in a duet (Bakura had forced Ryou to compete instead of him). Not to be outdone, Malik's steady voice picked up on the next phrase.  
  
Long lay the world in sin and error pining  
  
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth  
  
The rest of the gang could only blink and stare wide-eyed. The two bishounen looked surprisingly good together on stage. Mai leaned over to Tea and whispered,  
  
"Is it hot in here, or is it just those two?"  
  
"Those two. Stop staring at them like that Serenity, you'll make Tristan jealous."  
  
"Who's Tristan?"  
  
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices  
  
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn  
  
Isis rolled her eyes, wondering how anyone could possibly find her younger brother attractive...Bakura was a different story...  
  
'BRING! BRING!'  
  
Yugi scrambled to pick up the phone before its annoying ringing could cause a distraction. "Hello?" he whispered.  
  
"Yugi!"  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
Behind Yugi, Bakura and Malik's voices intertwined for the climax of the song.  
  
Fall on your knees  
  
Oh hear the angel voices  
  
Oh night divine  
Oh night when Christ was born  
  
Yugi strained to hear the caller's voice.  
  
"Yugi! Is my brother there? Has Mokuba left your house yet?"  
  
"Kaiba? You're asking for Mokuba? What do you mean by yet? He's...Ohmygosh...Kaiba, I'm so sorry!"  
  
Oh night, divine!  
  
Oh night, oh night divine!  
  
"Everyone, STOP THE PARTY!"  
  
Everyone turned to frown at Yugi, who had since dropped the phone, and was running around every room in the house overturning pillows, looking behind doors and having something resembling a panic attack. Joey couldn't help but be worried about his best friend's sanity. He asked,  
  
"Hey Yugi, what's eatin ya?"  
  
"It's Mokuba! He isn't here! Where did he go? I completely forgot about him! I should have been watching him! This is all my fault!"  
  
"Mokuba's missing?"  
  
"Kaiba's little brother was here?" asked Malik, "I don't remember seeing him when we came in."  
  
"You mean he hasn't been here since before you guys came? How could I let this happen?" Yugi put his hands to his forehead. Frightening words like MISSING and KIDNAPPED and MURDERED flashed through his mind. He found himself wondering how he could have misplaced the youngest of his guests.  
  
"Hey look Yugi," said Tristan, "his jacket and boots are gone, so he probably just went out to get some air or something."  
  
Yugi's violet eyes scanned the coat rack and verified Tristan's claim. Satisfied, everyone else settled back into their seats. Bakura and Malik continued their fight over control of the microphone. Serenity and Mai placed bets on who would win. Yami could tell that Yugi was still worried.  
  
'Yugi, Call Kaiba back and tell him not to worry. Mokuba will probably wander back here sooner or later. You've seen how tough he is, he can take care of himself.'  
  
'But why didn't he tell us that he was leaving? And he looked so sad before...'  
  
'Aibou, you worry too much. Do your friends a favor and try to relax, ok?'  
  
Yugi reluctantly settled back into the couch. Unable to completely calm himself, he chose the radio to serve as a distraction and switched it on. The party guests froze as the broadcast blared across the room:  
  
"And so everyone, the temperature currently stands at 15 degrees Fahrenheit and is steadily plunging. We can now officially call the snowstorm blowing through our area a blizzard, folks. Emergency rooms and hospitals have already been filled to capacity with frostbite and hypothermia cases, so be sure to keep all children and pets inside..."  
  
Nobody moved for the next few moments, excluding Bakura and Malik who were about five seconds away from starting a shadow game in Yugi's living room. Joey was first to speak.  
  
"Uh, Yugi, maybe we should go look for the kid, you know, just to be safe? Yugi?"  
  
"Yugi isn't here right now, Joey."  
  
Yugi and Yami's sudden switch startled everyone else in the room, again, excluding the Malik and the tomb robber who were still trying their best to kill each other. Yami's piercing eyes glared in their direction and his voice acquired a militaristic tone.  
  
"Listen up everyone! Mokuba might be lost somewhere out there in this blizzard and we're going to find him. Bakura! Give control back to Ryou before I stuff you back in the Millennium Ring myself!"  
  
"Now just a minute, who is Ra's name gave you the right to push me around, pharaoh?"  
  
"This puzzle and Ra himself tomb-robber." Yami snarled icily. "Now are you going peacefully, or do I have to lose my Christmas spirit?" There was a brief flash of light and Bakura's sharp brown eyes were replaced with Ryou's soft gentler ones. Yami continued, "Grandpa and Mrs. Wheeler will stay behind in case Kaiba calls again or Mokuba comes back by himself. Everyone else goes outside where we can spilt up and start our search!"  
  
Hats and jackets were hastily put on as everyone followed "General Yami" out the door and into the snow, too intimidated or awed to question his plans.  
  
*~*  
  
"Damn it! He's already left Yugi's place. He could be anywhere now." Kaiba growled as he made his way up the stairs of Kaiba corp. Gliding after him, Poinsettia asked,  
  
"So what's your plan for finding him? Does he have any place where he goes when he's were upset?"  
  
"The arcade, but it's closed. It doesn't matter, I can find him anyway with this."  
  
He reached the top of the stairs, and opened a door leading to the roof of Kaiba corp. He stepped out onto the snow-swept concrete, ignored the cold, and ran to the waiting helicopter. Poinsettia had to yell to be heard over the howling wind.  
  
"This is your plan? You're going to fly this thing in this weather? Have you noticed the hell-sent blizzard?"  
  
"What are you complaining for? The snow's going right through you!"  
  
Poinsettia looked down and saw to her dismay that it was. 'That's not supposed to happen yet,' she thought gloomily, 'I must really be running out of time.'  
  
Kaiba fastened himself into the pilot's seat of the copter, turned the ignition key, and grabbing the controls in haste. Mokuba's innocent face flashed through his mind.' Don't worry kid, I'm coming to get you. Just try to stay alive until then, ok little brother?' With some halting protests, the copter's rotors came to life, and the propellers whirled into motion. The helicopter hovered into the air and off the building with Poinsettia in pursuit.  
  
Somewhere down on earth, a gangly fair-haired teen dressed in a patched Santa Clause outfit whistled as he walked through the woods. It had been a good season for him. Countless times he had lured people near him with his costume, pretending to collect donations for charity. Then when they turned around, he had taken anything of value from their shopping bags. Today's haul consisted of a new digital video camera, a couple purses, and a whole mess of toys. Children were his favorite victims. Always so idiotically naive and trusting, they were easy to steal money from. There was nothing he loved more than money. He obsessed over it, he worshipped it, he could never have enough. He laughed out loud, celebrating the day's good haul. 'I wonder if the rest of the gang got as much loot as I did...probably not, those idiots can barely spell their own names.'  
  
The voices of the aforementioned gang grew louder as he continued his journey, and soon his adversaries came into sight. He grew surprised when he noticed that they were inspecting what looked like a small jacket, a sweater, and wallet. 'SO the boneheads actually managed to steal something for once, I'm impressed.' He called out, "Hey numbskulls! Whadya catch?" A burly thug in an elf costume answered him.  
  
"Clinks, you won't believe what we got! This stuff will sell for a fortune."  
  
"What, the clothes? You're kidding. Clinks took the jacket and sweater from his lackey. As he inspected the material, his hard green eyes widened in shock. "These clothes are all designer. Where did you swipe this stuff from? It's too expensive for just anybody to have!" The chain bearing gangster known as Linx answered him. "We got it from dat brat over dere, Clinks. His daddy must be loaded er somethin', cause his wallet's full a dough."  
  
The gang leader looked over to where Linx had motioned and spied a small unconscious boy with long raven hair lying face-down in the snow, covered with bruises and cuts. His small wrists had been bound behind him, his ankles were tied, and an old rag gagged him securely. The thin, tattered long sleeve shirt he had worn underneath his sweater and jacket couldn't protect him from the harsh winds, so he shivered with cold. Patches of snow around him were stained crimson. Clinks turned him over with the toe of his boot, nonchalantly taking note of his groan of pain. He studied the sleeping child's bruised face. 'Where have I seen this kid before?' he wondered. Another gangster sidled up to him like an obedient dog.  
  
"The little rat was hard one to catch boss, but we got him. Now we just need to figure out what to do with him. We gotta shut him up so he won't go runnin' to da cops. I've got a dagger in my pocket that would take off his tongue nice and quick-"  
  
"Not now Daggerz, I'm busy." Clinks growled, his green eyes glinting maliciously. In his hand he held the boy's open wallet. He read the ID card inside and gasped.  
  
"This kid's name is...This kid is Mokuba Kaiba! He's Seto Kaiba's younger brother!"  
  
A wave of fear washed over the rest of the gang. "That kid is related to THE Seto Kaiba?" asked Linx. "We're dead! That guy is in our class, he's like the devil himself! What do we do?"  
  
"I know!" yipped Daggerz trembling, "We can just give the brat his stuff back, apologize, and pretend like none of this ever happened, right boss? Boss?"  
  
Clinks didn't answer, but instead stared into a small picture he had found in the wallet with an expression of extreme hatred chiseled into his face. He despised Seto Kaiba. He had never actually spoken to him, yet his hate for him had no limits. Seto Kaiba was the richest person in Domino city. He had power, fame, and most importantly, money. Money was what Clinks needed, it was what he craved. Every time he saw Kaiba's face his dark heart was eaten up with jealousy. Every time Kaiba smirked or opened his mouth, it seemed to Clinks as though he was secretly mocking him. His envious green eyes slimmed as a clever plot came to mind. He had everything that he needed to carry out his plan near by. He walked over to Mokuba and viciously prodded him with his boot. The rest of the gang stared at him in fear and surprise.  
  
"Clinks, what are you doing? That kid's big brother is like a loaded gun! He'll skin us alive!"  
  
"Shut up! This kid is going to make us all filthy rich, so all of you stop standing there like a bunch of cowards, and get ready to move out of here!"  
  
Mokuba moved slightly and tried to open his eyes. The first thing he noticed was the numbing cold and throbbing pain. Something trickled down his face and into his eye. He attempted to wipe it off, but instead discovered his bound hands and ankles. Remembering what had happened, he slowly opened his eyes and looked around. After seeing the bandits who had beat him up leering down at him, he wished he hadn't. Clinks grinned hungrily at his captive, and kneeled down next to him. He then pulled out a switchblade, pressed it to Mokuba's throat and growled,  
  
"If you even think about screaming for help, I'll cut your voice box right out."  
  
Mokuba shrank back as Clinks' rough hands removed the gag from around his mouth. His faced burned with humiliation when Clinks laughed at his fear. He gathered all of his courage together and snapped,  
  
"What do you want from me, you costumed freaks?"  
  
Clinks laughed harder, surprised by his audacity.  
  
"What do we want? Aren't you getting ahead of yourself, kid? Your first question should be 'who are we?'. I'll answer that for you right now." He motioned to the circle of leering, grinning goons. "My name's Clinks, that's Linx, over there is Daggerz, Fang, Spike, Rip, Slash, and Slit. What we want is everything your big brother has, Mokuba Kaiba. And you're going to help us get what we want, or else..."  
  
Clinks picked up the jacket Mokuba had been wearing and displayed it before his dark blue eyes. Mokuba watched, trembling as the gangster sunk his switchblade into the fabric, stabbing and slashing his knife through it until it was nothing but useless torn fabric and goose down. He did the same to Mokuba's sweater and wallet.  
  
Mokuba wasn't sure if he was shaking from cold or fear. Either way, a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach told him that he was in real trouble. He trembled even more as Clinks kneeled over him, knife in hand. He squeezed his eyes shut, expecting to feel the cold, steel blade bury itself in his vulnerable flesh at any moment. He was surprised when the knife swept down and cut through the ropes binding his ankles instead. "On your feet!" he heard Clinks snarl. "We've got places to go, things to do, and you're coming with us!" Mokuba felt someone grab his hair, and drag him up onto his unsteady legs.  
  
"What are you gonna do with me? Lemme go!"  
  
"Sorry kid, but we just can't do that. You see brat, this is the season of giving, but I forgot to get your big bro a gift." Clinks dug into his pilfered shopping bag and yanked a red ribbon from off a wrapped box. "Fortunately, you happened to come along, so now my gift problem is solved." Two thugs held Mokuba still while Clinks tied a red ribbon around the squirming child's neck, knotting it tightly with a bow. When he finished, the rest of the gang laughed at the strange sight. Confused, Mokuba glared and yelled,  
  
"What do you mean your gift problem is solved, you head case?"  
  
"What I mean is that you will be the gift I give your big brother. Of course, tis the season of receiving and well as giving, and I want something in return for such a generous offer. In exchange for your life, I want everything in your brother's bank account." Mokuba's mouth fell open. Clinks found himself amused by his bewilderment.  
  
"That's right kid, every dollar, dime, yen, peso, and penny that your older brother owns will belong to me. Of course, the guys will get some too..." Mokuba looked away.  
  
"Sorry, but you're wasting your time. My big brother doesn't accept Christmas presents. I should know."  
  
"Oh, something tells me that he'll accept this one. Now move!"  
  
Clinks grabbed him and shoved him in a direction leading deeper into the woods. Mokuba refused to take another step, stubbornly standing in knee- deep in snow. Clinks grew angry, and he delighted in cruelly tightening the ropes around his captive's wrists. Mokuba's cries of pain rang through the air, but he still refused to move. A random gang member stepped up to Clinks.  
  
"He's a tough little maggot, boss. He didn't even cry once when we were workin' him over before."  
  
"The kid doesn't cry, huh? Well I'll see if I can fix that. Now, MOVE!"  
  
The gang leader kicked Mokuba in the lower back, sending him stumbling forward a few more steps. This was repeated until he trudged through the snow without stopping, shivering and coughing from the intense cold. The gangsters walked behind their prisoner, laughing and joking as they went. Falling snow blew into his face, and the wind pierced what little protection from the weather he had, but Mokuba still refused to cry. His refusal became harder as he remembered that the only person he could usually depend on was across town, too busy filing papers or making important phone calls to care about him. His frozen feet became heavier with every step he took.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lil Washu: Chapter done. Wow, looking back at the reviews I've gotten in the past, I think it's time that I answered my reviewer. I've taken them for granted and made them wait for months for new chapters! I'm almost as mean as the gangsters...ok maybe not that mean...  
  
********Reviewer Response*******  
  
Malik Fan- So glad you're enjoying the story!  
  
Pestilence GH - Yes, I know, the gangsters are sooo cruel. I was inspired to create them after watching a TV program about a little dog that was forced on to a grill and badly burned by a gang during an initiation ceremony. :(  
  
Mokuba: They're not going to do that to me are they?  
  
No name - Glad you're enjoying the story. I'm trying to update as often as possible! ^___^  
  
Paddyfoot - Ah, poor little Mokie. I can't give anything away concerning what might happen to him though...I wanna Mokie plushie too!  
  
Vanishingact - I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Updating is so hard sometimes! I've picked such a heavy course schedule for school. Junior year is gonna be hell...I'm still writing though!  
  
Watson - Yes, Kaiba can be such a hardhead sometimes. (One of the reasons we love him!) Anyways, I think he's getting the picture, finally...  
  
o.o - Ooooooh, lookit all the faces...Yes, it's good to be alive and writing!  
  
I love u!! - Hehe, that's a fun anonymous name. Yes I have updated, IT'S A MIRACLE!  
  
Yay - Yes, another fun name. Aw, I'm so glad that you think my story is good. ^__________^  
  
Seto Kaiba - It's not wrath hon, it's drama! And it's quite possible that I've used waaay too much of it. Review people! Tell me if I'm being too melodramatic or not!  
  
Reviewer - Oh PLEASE stop crying! I'm sorry! Here, you can have this Blue- Eyes-White-Dragon patterned hankie...and this update!  
  
YLH - I know, I almost cried when I wrote this!  
  
SheWhoThinksYouShouldPostANewChapter - Sorry, I guess it did take till next Christmas...SORRY!  
  
Meeeeeeeee - I have updated. Yay!  
  
Chess Lover - Thank you for your support. I made this fanfiction this way because I noticed that there were already a lot of direct Christmas Carol parodies, and they became somewhat predictable after a while (not that I don't like them) Check the end of this chapter for a special contest!  
  
Renee the Rabid Squirrel - YOU'RE MY FIRST REVIEWER! YOU ROCK! Yep, I'm an angst-monkey, how did you guess?  
  
The Voice Inside Your Head - Yes, I do tend to use cliffhangers...I'm evil I know...waaaah...  
  
KarribuHater59 - You're so clever! I can't hide anything from you! ^___^  
  
Kay and Fantasychick - I'm so terrible with cliffies...  
  
sweetdaeth - I know, most people don't like YGO character/OC relationships. Any OC who dares to go near a character are labeled as Mary-Sues (shudder). I hope Poinsettia isn't annoying to you. She is meant to be a character who changes and goes through her own odyssey just as Kaiba does through the course of the story. This isn't supposed to be a romantic fic...but then again, I have yet to finish it!  
  
crimsonXsnow - Thanks for your support. As of right now, I'm still deciding on romance, but as you can see, romance is not a main genre.  
  
Fate VII - Glad you like! ^___^  
  
CONTEST!  
  
LW: Ok, and to finish things up, I'm announcing a reviewer's contest of sorts! Just pick your favorite holiday carol (Doesn't have to be X-mas based) and try to guess which characters in the fanfic are derived from the characters from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Here's an easy one:  
  
Kaiba = Scrooge (Don't we all know it)  
  
Now for you:  
  
Yugi = You decide!  
  
Try to guess them all! This contest should be especially appealing to bishie lovers, because the winners will get to sing in the last chapter with the All Bishounen Choir, which I am in the midst of organizing...  
  
Ryou: Doe, a deer, a female deer...  
  
Joey: Doe, ray, mi, fa, so, la, ti- *Everything made of glass in the room shatters*  
  
Come one, you know you want to...It doesn't take much to be considered a winner! I'll update if you review!!! 


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